U. 


.'V 


REPORT  OF  THE  OPERATIONS 


e,  3d  felon  o! 


ATLANTA  CAMPAIGN  OF  1864, 


BRIGADE  COMMANDER,  COLONEL  (NOW  GENERAL) 


JA.IVLES    WOOD. 


With  an  Appendix  containing' the  Proceedings  and  Address  of  General  Wood  on  the 
Dedication  of  the  Monument  to  the  ijdth  Regt.  N.  Y.  V.  /.,  on  the  Battlefield  of  Getty s- 
burgh,  October  16,  1888. 


ALBANY: 

WEED,    PARSONS    &    CO.,    PRINTERS. 
1889. 


7 


THE  ATLANTA  CAMPAIGN. 


The  ATLANTA  CAMPAIGN  was  one  of  the  most  important,  ef 
fective  and  illustrious  campaigns  of  the  war  of  the  rebellion.     The 
Union  arms  in  1863,  had,  on  the  whole,  been  successful.   The  battle 
of  Gettysburg  had  been  fought  and  won,  and  Lee  had  been  driven 
from   his  invasion   of   Maryland.     Vicksburg,  after  a  long  strug 
gle,  had  been  captured,  with  the  army  that  defended  it.     The  in 
vestment  of   Chattanooga  had  been  relieved,  and  the  Rebel  army 
under  Bragg  had  been  defeated  and  driven  from  his  strong  posi 
tion  on   Missionary  Ridge.     The  campaign  of    1864  was  thought 
to   have   opened  auspiciously.     Grant   had  been  appointed  com- 
mander-in-chief  of  all  the  armies  and  military  forces  of  the  United 
States.     Lee,  with  a  well  disciplined,  brave  and  gallant  army,  con 
fronted  the  army  of   the  Potomac   on  the  Rappahannock.      John 
son,  securely  intrenched  at  Dalton  with  a  brave  and  valiant  army, 
stood  face  to  face  to  Sherman  with  the  gage  of  battle.     The  Reb 
els  showed  a  greater  power  of  endurance  and  resistance  than  was 
expected.      The  "  on  to  Richmond"   was  one   bloody  battlefield, 
with  the  sacrifice  of  slaughtered  hecatombs  of  Union  soldiers,  and 
resulted  not  in  the  capture  of  Richmond  but  in  placing  the  Union 
army  on  the  south  side  of  the  James  river,  and  in  effect  besieging 
Lee  and  his  army  in  Richmond.     Johnson  with   tactical  skill  and 
consummate  ability  avoided   the  blows  offered  by  his  able  oppo 
nent,  and  led  him  by  skillful  retreats  away  from  his  base  of  sup 
plies,  into  the  interior  of  the  Confederate  States.     The  people  of 
the  North,  in  view  of  this  long  and  bloody  struggle,  and   the  vi 
tality    exhibited    by    the    Rebels,  became    despondent.     General 
gloom  and  depression  overspread  the  land.     Even   our  great  and 
devoted  president  was  almost   overwhelmed  by  it.     Though   re- 
nominated  by  the  Republican  party  for  re-election,  he  was  appre- 

M145788 


hensive  of  defeat.      The   Democratic   party,  that  party  on  which 
the  Rebels  relied  to  aid   them  in  their  struggle,  had  become  arro 
gant   and   aggressive.     Their  convention,  held  at  Chicago  in  Au 
gust,  1864,  to  nominate  a  candidate  for  president  against  President 
Lincoln,  declared  that  the  four  years  of  war  which  was  to  restore 
the  Union  was  a  failure.     The  capture  of  Atlanta  on   the  2d  day 
of  September,  after  the  brilliant   campaign  which   commenced  on 
the  ist  day  of  May,  rifted  the  cloud  of  gloom  and  depression  that 
overspread  the  North,  and   through   it  could   be  seen  shining  the 
bright  sun  of    success.      With    that    capture,  and   the   defeat    of 
Hood's  army,  the  doom  of  the  rebellion  was  sealed  ;  and  the  sur 
render  of  Lee's   army  at   Appomattox,  and  of  Johnson's  army  at 
Raleigh,  was  its  necessary  and  legitimate  consequence.     In  that 
campaign  I  took  an  active  part  as  the  commander  of  a  brigade  in 
the  3d  Division,  2oth  Army  Corps.      The  following  report,  written 
at  Atlanta  after  the  close  of  the  campaign,  from  memoranda  kept  by 
me  in  writing  from  day  to  day,  shows  its  operations  in  detail.     In  the 
same  division,  Colonel  now  General   Harrison,  President  of  the 
United  States,  served  and  commanded,  at  first  a  regiment  (the  yoth 
Ind.  V.  I.),  and   after   the   29th  of  June  the   ist  Brigade  of  that 
division.      During    the    pendency    of    the    political   campaign   of 
1 888  a  "  Life  of  Ben.  Harrison  "  was  written  and   published  by 
General  Lew  Wallace,  also  a  volunteer  officer  in  the  Union  army. 
The  reading  of   this  "Life"   awakened   and   revived   my   recol 
lections  of  the  campaign  in  which  we  both  took  a  part.     I  thought 
some  of  the  statements  in  "  The  Life  "  did  me  and  my  command 
injustice.      I   procured   from   the  War  Department  a  copy  of  my 
report.     It  is  on  file  in  that  department,  and  unprinted  and  unpub 
lished.      All  the  incidents  appertaining  to  that  campaign,  I  think, 
should  be  made  known.     It  was  the  turning  point  in  the  war  of  the 
rebellion.     And  it  seems  to  me  that  the  truth  of  history  demands 
that  every  one  who  has  knowledge  of  the  events  of  that  campaign 
should  tell  his  story,  that  mistakes,   if  any,  may  be  corrected,  and 
equal  and  exact  justice  done  to  all  who  participated  in  it. 

J.  W. 


REP  ORT. 


HEAD-QUARTERS,  30  BRIGADE, 

3D  DIVISION,  20TH  ARMY  CORPS, 
ATLANTA,  GA.,  Sept.  23,  1864.    m 

CAPTAIN  : 

I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  following  report  of  the 
operations  of  the  brigade  under  my  command,  composed  of 
the  1 36th  N.  Y.,  55th  Ohio,  33d  Mass.,  73d  Ohio  and  26th 
Wis.  Infantry  Regiments  to  which  the  2Oth  Conn.  V.  I. 
was  afterward  added,  since  the  1st  day  of  May  last. 

On  the  evening  of  that  day  I  received  orders  to  march  at 
six  o'clock  the  following  morning. 

At  the  hour  named  we  broke  our  winter  camp  in  Lookout 
Valley,  and  took  up  our  line  of  march  on  the  Chattanooga 
road,  following  the  1st  Brigade  of  this  division. 

After  passing  around  the  foot  of  Lookout  Mountain  we 
left  Chattanooga  on  the  left,  passed  through  Rossville,  and 
reached  Gordon's  Mills  at  about  half-past  three  o'clock,  P.  M., 
where  we  encamped  for  the  night,  having  marched  the  dis 
tance  of  fifteen  miles. 

On  the  3d  of  May  we  occupied  substantially  the  same  po 
sition  taken  the  previous  afternoon.  A  slight  change  was 
made  for  the  purpose  of  getting  more  favorable  ground  on 
which  to  encamp. 

On  the  4th,  at  half-past  six  o'clock,  A.  M.,  the  brigade 
marched  from  Gordon's  Mills  to  Pleasant  Grove  Church, 
near  Taylor's  Ridge,  and  took  a  position  formed  in  two 
lines  deployed,  on  the  right  of  the  division,  near  the  East 
Chickamauga  creek.  The  distance  marched  was  eleven  miles. 
The  brigade  occupied  this  position  until  the  morning  of  the 


6th.     During  the  time  a  substantial  bridge  for  infantry  was 
built  across  the  creek  by  the  brigade  pioneers. 

On  the  6th,  the  brigade  marched  at  five  A.M.,  from  Pleas 
ant  Grove  Church  to  Leet's  Tannery  on  Peavine  creek,  a  dis 
tance  of  six  and  one-half  miles,  and  took  up  a  position  in 
one  line  deployed,  with  one  regiment  in  reserve;  which  po 
sition  the  brigade  occupied  until  next  morning. 

On   the  ;th,  at   five   o'clock,   A.  M.,  the   brigade  marched 
from     Leet's,    through     Gordon's    Gap,    passing    Gordon's 
Springs  to    Wood's  Store,  at  the   road   leading  to   Buzzard 
Roost  Gap,  a  distance  of  fifteen  and  one-half  miles.     Here 
the   brigade  was   put  in  position  in  a  single  deployed"  line. 
The  33d  Mass,  was  detached  from  the  brigade  in  pursuance 
of  orders  received  from  division  head-quarters,  and  directed 
to  report  to   Col.  Ross,  Com'd'g  2d    Brigade,  who  occupied 
the  crest  of  a  hill  about  one  mile  in  advance  of  this  brigade 
On  the  morning  of  the  8th  I  received    from  division  head 
quarters  an  order  of  which  the  following  is  a  copy  : 

"  Col.  WOOD,  Com'd'g  Brig.  : 

''  The  Major-General  directs  that  in  compliance  with  the 
inclosed  orders  you  move  your  brigade  out  in  front  of  Col. 
Ross'  position,  and  make  a  reconnoissance  toward  the  en 
emy's  position  at  Buzzard  Roost.  Guard  well  your  flanks  ; 
keep  a  strong  line  of  skirmishers  well  advanced  ;  don't  at 
tack  him  in  his  intrenchments,  if  you  should  find  such  to  be 
the  case.  If  you  can,  draw  him  on  to  Col.  Ross'  position, 
should  he  follow  you.  If  he  has  abandoned  Buzzard  Roost 
and  you  get  possession,  look  well  to  your  right.  The  Gen 
eral  will  be  at  Col.  Ross'  on  the  ridge. 

"  Very  Respectfully,  etc., 

.    "JOHN  SPEED, 

"A.  A.  G:% 

Which  order  was  accompanied  by  instructions  directing 
the  manner  in  which  the  reconnoissance  was  to  be  made. 

In  pursuance  of  the  orders  I  immediately  got  my 
command  under  arms  and  took  up  the  line  of  march 


for    Buzzard     Roost    Gap.     After    passing    the    2d     Brig 
ade    (Col.     Ross)    encamped     on     the    crest    of    a    hill    a 
short  distance  east  of  Wood's  store,    I  threw  forward  an  ad 
vance    guard   and   ordered   them    deployed    as   skirmishers. 
At  the  same  time  I  covered  the  flanks  of  the  column  with  a 
line  of  flankers.     In  this  way  the   column  advanced  toward 
Buzzard  Roost  Gap.     When  about  two  miles  from  the  gap. 
the  skirmishers  in  front  of  the  column  came  in  contact  with 
and  crossed  the  advanced  skirmish  line  of  Carline  s  Brigade 
of  Johnson's  Division  of  the  14th   Corps.     The  brigade  was 
in  position  about  one  hundred  yards  in  the  rear  of  this  skir 
mish  line  and  covered  all  the  approaches  to  Buzzard  Roost 
Gap  from  the  west.     I  was  informed  by  a  major  in  charge 
of  the  skirmish  line  of  this  brigade,  that  he   had   advanced 
his  skirmish  line  close  up  to  the  enemy's  works  in  the  gap  ; 
that  the  enemy  occupied  the  gap  in  force;  that  he  made  a 
demonstration  to  attack  the  skirmish  line  so  advanced,  and 
thereupon  the'major,  in  pursuance  of  instructions,  withdrew 
his  line  to  the  position  he  then  occupied.     As  this  condition 
of  affairs  was  not  contemplated  by  the  orders  and  instruc 
tions  I  was  ordered  to  make,  I   thought  it  advisable  to  com 
municate  with  Maj.-Gen.  Butterfield,  who  was  in  the  rear  of 
my  column.     Accordingly  I  halted  the  column  and  sent  a 
staff  officer  to   Maj.-Gen.   Butterfield    with    instructions    to 
advise  him  of  the  information  I  had  received,  and  receive  his 
orders.       Maj.-Gen.  Butterfield  immediately  rode  up  to  the 
front  of  the  column,  and,  as  I  understood,  had  an  interview 
with   same    major   referred   to    from    Carline's  Brigade,  and 
received  the  same  information.     Maj.-Gen.  Butterfield,  how 
ever,  ordered  me  to  proceed  with  the  reconnoissance,  and  to 
feel  the  enemy.   I,  therefore,  ordered  four  companies  forward, 
deployed  them  as  skirmishers,  and  threw  out  a  line  of  pick 
ets  to  protect  my  right  flank.     I  also  ordered  the  7$d  Ohio 
to    deploy    in    line    of   battle,    and    to    advance    with    and 
support  the  skirmishers.     The  balance  of  the  brigade  was 
placed  in  position  behind  the  crest  of  a  hill,  in  the  front,  and 
at  the  foot  of  which  the  skirmishers  were  deployed.     The 
ground  between  the  position  occupied  by  the   brigade  and 


the  valley  into  which  Buzzard  Roost  Gap  debouches  toward 
the  west,  was  a  series  of  hills  running  nearly  parallel  to  the 
valley.     In  front  of  the  right  of  my  line,  and  bounding  the 
valley  on  the  east,  and  the  gap  on  the  south,  is  Rocky  Face 
Mountain,  at  the  foot  of  which,  and  running  nearly  across 
the  west  entrance  to  the  gap  where  it  sweeps  around  and 
runs  through  the  gap,  is  Mill  Creek,   a   stream    with  soft, 
muddy  banks  and  bottom,  not  easily  fordable.     On  the  east 
side  of  the  creek,  and  leaving  but  a  narrow  space  between  its 
east  bank,  is  a  high  bank  or  bluff,  which  seems  to  be  a  spur 
of  Rocky  Face  Mountain,  and   with   which  it  is   connected, 
making,  however,  quite  a   depression    between    the  highest 
part  of  the  bluff  and  the  mountain.      The  distance  from  this 
high  point  of  the  bluff  and  the  mountain  in  which   the  de 
pression    occurs  is,    perhaps,    one   hundred  and  fifty  yards. 
From  the  high  part  of  the  bluff,  along  the  curve  of  the  creek, 
to  the  north,  there  is  an  easy  descent  until  it  is  lost   in  the 
bottom  land  of  the  creek,  where  it  sweeps  around  to  flow 
through  the  gap.     Here  also  the  railroad  coming  from  Tunnel 
Hill,  sweeps  around  the  hill  from  the  south  side  of  Buzzard 
Roost   Gap,   and  passes  over  the   creek   through   the   gap. 
From  the  crest  of  the  bluff  and  the  section  of  Rocky  Face 
Mountain  with  which  it  is  connected,    the  ground   descends 
quite  rapidly   to    the   east.     From    this   crest   the    enemy's 
works  for  the  protection  of  the  gap  are  visible.     Along  this 
crest  and  stretching  across  the  gap,  the  enemy  had  a  line  of 
skirmishers.       By    the    direction    of   Maj.-Gen.    Butterfield, 
under  whose  personal  supervision  all  the  movements  of  my 
brigade    were     made,     the    line    of    skirmishers,    increased 
and  strengthened  from  time  to  time  by  reinforcements  from 
the  line,  were   pushed  forward  until  they  occupied  the  crest 
of  the  bluff,  and  the  declivity  between   it   and   Rocky  Face 
Mountain,  and  the  base  of  the    mountain   as   high  as   the 
highest  parts  of  the  bluff.     In  order  to  reach  this  position, 
it  was  necessary  to  cross  Mill  Creek,  and  ascend  the  almost 
perpendicular  side  of  the  bluff,  the  crest  of  which   was  held 
by  the  rebel  sharpshooters.      Two  companies  of  skirmishers 
from  the  55th  Ohio,  commanded  by  Capts.  Bolt  and  Osborue, 


were  ordered  to  take  the  crest.     Promptly  and  steadily  they 

climbed   the  side  of  the  bluff  in  the  face  of  a  continued  fire 

from  the  enemy's  skirmishers,  drove  them  from  and  occu 

pied  the  crest.     The  conduct  of  Capts.  Bolt  and  Osborne  and 

the  men  of  their  command  on  this  occasion,  the  coolness 

and  bravery  displayed  by  them,  is  deserving  of  the  highest 

praise,   and    reflects   credit    upon   the    gallant    regiment    of 

which  they  form  a  part.     As  soon  as  the  crest  was  gained, 

the  skirmish   line  at   that   point   was  strengthened   by  three 

companies  from  the  73d  Ohio.     Two  companies  of  the  33d 

Mass,  held  the  low  ground  on   the  left,  between   the   creek 

and   the  railroad.     On    the   right   two   companies  from  the 

26th   Wis.    were    thrown   across    the   creek   (which    at   that 

point   was   deep,  but    which    they  crossed    on  a   tree  fallen 

across  it),  and  were  deployed  as  skirmishers,  and  ordered  to 

ascend   to  the  crest  which   formed   the  depression  between 

the  bluff  and  Rocky  Face  Mountain,  and  which  connected  the 

two.     This   order   was   executed    in  a   satisfactory  manner. 

The   enemy  made  but   a  feeble  resistance  to   our  advance. 

The  enemy  showed   no  disposition  to  attack.     We  had  felt 

his  position,  discovered  the  nature,  extent  and  character  of 

his  works,  and  the  object  of  the  reconnoissance  seemed  to 

be  accomplished.     The   day  was  drawing  to  a  close,  and   I 

was   ordered    by    Maj.-Gen.    Butterfield   as   soon    as   it    was 

dark  to  withdraw  my  skirmishers,  and   with   my  command 

return  to  the  camp  1  had  left  in  the  morning.     I  advanced 

the  1  36th  N.  Y.  to  cover  the  movement  of  withdrawing  the 

skirmishers  and  was  making  disposition  to  execute  the  order 

of  the  Maj.-Gen.  Comdg.  who  had  at  that  time  left  the  field, 

when  I  received  the  following  order: 


"  HEAD-QRS.  20111  CORPS,  May  tyh,  1864. 
"  Maj.-Gen.  BUTTERFIELD,  Comdg.  Div.: 

"The  Maj.-General  Comdg.  directs  that  you  hold  your 
self  in  readiness  to  comply  with  the  following  dispatch  just 
received  from  Dept.  Head-Qrs.: 

"Gen.  Howard's  and  Gen.  Palmer's  skirmishers  will  be 
advanced  early  to-morrow  morning  (gth  inst.).  The  Maj.- 


10 

General  Comdg.    desires   that   you  order  Butterfield's   skir 
mishers    to   co-operate   with    Gen.    Palmer's,    as   the   latter 
sweep  along  the  side  of  the  ridge,  by  advancing  over  the 
ground  which  lies  directly  in  front  of  them. 
"  Very  respectfully, 

"  W.  D.  WHIFFLE, 

"  Brig.-Gcn.  &  A.  A.  G" 

"  HEAD-QRS.  30  Div.,  20TH  ARMY  CORPS. 
"The  Maj.-Gen.  Comdg.  directs  that  Col.  Wood  comply 
with  the  requirements  of  the  within. 

"JOHN  SPEED, 

"A.  A.  G" 

I  immediately  countermanded  the  order  to  withdraw  the 
skirmishers  and  directed  them,  as  well  as  the  I36th  N.  Y.,  to 
hold  the  position  they  occupied  for  the  night,  and  that 
scouts  be  sent  forward  from  the  skirmish  line  to  recon- 
noiter,  and  obtain,  if  possible,  the  information  desired  by 
the  Maj.-Gen.  Comdg.  the  Dept.  of  the  Cumberland.  As 
the  enemy  kept  persistently  concealed  behind  his  works, 
nothing  could  be  discovered  except  that  his  position  was 
very  strong,  if  not  impregnable  ;  and  that  an  attempt  to  dis 
lodge  him  by  a  direct  attack  could  not  be  expected  to  suc 
ceed.  As  I  had  done  all  in  my  power  to  comply  with  the 
instructions  last  received,  and  as  night  and  darkness  had 
now  come  upon  us,  the  operations  of  the  day  closed.  The 
73d  Ohio  had  marched  for  their  camp  under  the  order  received 
from  Maj.-Gen.  Butterfield  before  the  last  orders,  above  set 
forth,  had  been  promulgated.  After  dark  the  55th  Ohio  and 
33d  Mass,  followed,  leaving  the  skirmishers  detailed  from 
these  regiments  in  the  position  they  occupied  during  the 
day.  The  26th  Wis.,  which  had  been  held  in  reserve  in  the 
position  first  taken  up,  was  permitted  to  bivouac  for  the 
night,  as  it  was  amply  protected  by  the  I4th  Army  Corps, 
being  connected  with  it,  and  covered  in  front  by  the  pickets 
of  that  corps.  After  these  dispositions  were  made,  an  order 
was  received  from  the  Maj. -General  commanding  the  division 


II 

to  withdraw  the  I36th  N.  Y.,  and  the  skirmishers,  entirely 
out  of  the  gap,  and  the  valley  in  front  of  it,  and  bivouac 
there  in  a  secure  position  on  the  hill.  This  order  was  com 
plied  with,  and  as  Brig.-Gen.  Carline  had  advanced  his  brigade 
and  his  picket  line,  it  brought  them  within  his  lines.  This 
finished  the  operations  of  the  day,  and  I  returned  to  my 
head-quarters  at  Wood's  store. 

On  the  morning  of  the  gth,  I  received  the  following 
orders  : 

"  Col.  WOOD,  Com'd'g  Brig.: 

"The  following  instructions  have  just  been  received." 

"To  Maj.-Gen.  HOOKER: 

"  Push  your  reconnoissance  as  far  as  possible  to  night, 
and  endeavor  to  find  out  if  the  enemy  is  at  Buzzard  Roost 
in  force.  Communicate  results. 

"GEN.  THOMAS." 

"  Maj.-Gen.  Hooker  directs  that  the  force  here  act  in  ac 
cordance  with  the  above.  You  will  be  governed  by  these 
instructions,  and  report  to  Gen.  Thomas  direct,  as  well  as 

to  me. 

"GEN.  BUTTERFIELD." 

I  immediately  directed  the  officer  in  charge  of  the  skir 
mishers  (Maj.  Higgins,  of  the  73d  Ohio)  to  see  that  the  order 
was  complied  with.  Subsequently,  and  on  the  same  morn 
ing,  I  received  orders  to  continue  the  reconnoissance  com 
menced  the  day  before.  In  compliance  therewith,  I  im 
mediately  concentrated  my  brigade  in  the  valley,  in  front  of 
the  gap.  The  skirmishers  again  took  the  position  from  which 
they  were  withdrawn  the  night  before,  being  compelled 
the  second  time  to  drive  the  enemy's  skirmishers  therefrom. 
The  1 36th  N.  Y.  and  26th  Wis.  were  deployed  in  line  of 
battle  in  front  of  the  bluff.  The  55th  Ohio  was  ordered  to 
cross  the  creek  and  hold  the  bluff,  which  had  been  taken  by 
the  skirmishers.  I  was  ordered  by  Maj.-Gen.  Butterfield  to 
throw  a  regiment  across  the  creek  near  the  foot  of  Rocky 


12 

Face  Mountain,  and  to  advance  it  to  the  crest  of  the  spur 
that  connected  the  bluff  with  the  mountain.  To  comply 
with  this  order,  it  became  necessary  to  build  a  bridge  across 
Mill  Creek.  This  was  done  with  commendable  dispatch, 
by  the  division  pioneers.  I  ordered  across  the  73d  Ohio, 
and  it  pushed  forward  promptly,  to  fulfill  the  order  of  the 
division  commander.  In  the  meantime  the  enemy  had 
planted  a  section  of  artillery  on  the  crest  of  Rocky  Face 
Mountain,  and  opened  with  grape  and  canister  on  the  55th 
Ohio.  That  regiment  was  promptly  withdrawn  out  of  range 
to  the  west  side  of  the  creek,  at  the  foot  of  the  bluff.  The 
enemy's  guns,  however,  were  very  soon  silenced  by  some 
artillery  of  the  I4th  Corps.  By  direction  of  Maj.-Gen.  But- 
terfield,  I  ordered  the  33d  Mass.,  which  up  to  this  time  had 
been  held  in  reserve,  to  cross  the  creek,  and,  if  possible,  to 
gain  the  crest  of  Rocky  Face  Mountain.  To  cover  the 
operations  of  the  two  regiments  across  the  creek,  the  26th 
Wis.  and  I36th  N.  Y.  were  moved  to  the  right  and  deployed 
on  the  west  side  of  the  creek,  in  the  rear  of  the  /3d  Ohio 
and  33d  Mass.  While  these  last-named  regiments  were  en 
gaged  in  carrying  out  the  orders  they  had  received,  the 
skirmishers  of  the  73d  Ohio,  having  gained  the  crest  of  the 
spur  so  as  to  overlook  the  enemy's  works  in  the  gap,  and 
the  skirmishers  of  the  33d  Mass,  having  ascended  more  than 
half  way  to  the  crest  of  Rocky  Face  Mountain,  I  received 
an  order  that  my  brigade  would  be  relieved  by  Carline's 
Brigade  of  the  I4th  Corps.  After  being  relieved,  I  marched 
my  brigade  to  the  Presbyterian  Church,  on  the  road  from 
Wood's  Store  to  Buzzard  Roost  Gap,  and  encamped.  This 
ended  the  operations  of  my  brigade  in  connection  with  the 
reconnoissance  into  Buzzard  Roost  Gap. 

On  Wednesday,  the  I  ith,  at  four  o'clock,  A.  M.,  the  brigade, 
in  pursuance  of  an  order  from  division  head-quarters,  marched 
from  its  position  near  Wood's  Store  (to  which  place  it  had 
returned  after  the  reconnoissance)  to  Snake  Creek  Gap,  and 
about  half  way  through  the  gap,  arriving  at  twelve  o'clock,  M., 
a  distance  of  fourteen  miles.  Here  I  was  ordered  to  put  the 
brigade  into  camp,  and  to  widen  and  put  in  good  condition 


13 

that  part  of  the  road  through  the  gap,  between  where  Gen. 
Williams,  of  the  ist  Division,  was  encamped,  and  the  camp 
of  my  brigade,  to  make  the  road  of  sufficient  capacity  to 
allow  two  wagon  trains  and  a  column  of  infantry  to  march 
abreast.  I  divided  the  work  into  as  many  sections  as  I  had 
regiments,  and  as  soon  as  the  tools  were  provided,  put  as 
many  men  on  the  road  as  could  be  advantageously  em 
ployed.  By  nightfall  I  had  that  portion  of  the  road  appor 
tioned  to  my  brigade  completed  as  ordered. 

On  the  1 2th,  at  ten  o'clock,  A.  M.,  the  brigade  broke  camp 
and  marched  through  the  Gap,  a  distance  of  four  miles,  and 
took  up  a  portion  in  a  single  deployed  line  in  rear  of  the 
1 5th  A.  C. 

On  the  1 3th,  at  nine  A.  M.,  pursuant  to  orders,  the  brigade 
marched,  with  the  army  of  which  it  forms  a  part,  upon  the 
enemy  at  Resaca.  The  brigade  formed  its  front  line  of  bat 
tle  about  two  o'clock,  P.  M.,  at  right  angles  to  the  line  formed 
in  the  crest  of  a  hill  running  east  and  west  by  the  2d  Brig 
ade,  and  perpendicular  to  and  crossing  the  road  leading 
from  Dalton  to  Rome.  While  in  this  position  the  I36th  N. 
Y.  were,  by  an  order  delivered  by  Maj.-Gen.  Hooker  in  per 
son,  detached  from  the  line,  and  ordered  to  make  a  recon- 
noissance  toward  the  enemy's  lines,  and  ascertain  whether 
there  was  a  road  by  which  artillery  could  be  placed  in  posi 
tion  on  a  hill  in  our  front  and  near  the  enemy.  The  recon- 
noissance  was  made  as  directed,  and  on  its  return  Lt.-Col. 
Faulkner,  the  commanding  officer  of  the  regiment,  reported 
that  the  hill  in  question  was  in  the  possession  of  the  troops 
of  the  1 5th  A.  C.  The  brigade,  by  order,  then  changed  its 
position  to  the  rear  of  the  left  of  the  I5th  A.  C.,  where  it 
was  held  in  reserve  in  column  by  division.  After  sundown 
I  was  ordered  to  relieve  Carline's  Brigade  of  the  I4th  A.  C., 
then  in  position  in  two  lines  on  the  crest  of  a  wooded  hill  in 
our  front,  connecting  on  its  right  with  the  i  5th  A.  C.  Owing 
to  the  woods  and  the  darkness  the  task  was  not  an  easy  one  ; 
but  it  was  accomplished  with  reasonable  promptness.  The 
brigade  made  its  connections  with  the  I5th  A.  C.  on 
the  right,  and  Ward's  Brigade  of  the  division  on  the  left, 


14 

and  bivouacked  for  the  night.  In  front  of  us,  was  a  valley 
through  which  ran  a  creek.  On  the  opposite  side  of  the 
valley  and  distant  about  six  hundred  yards,  was  a  chain  of 
hills  occupied  by  the  enemy.  These  hills  he  was  diligently 
engaged  in  fortifying  during  the  night.  On  the  morning  of 
the  I4th  of  May  the  enemy's  skirmishers  and  sharpshooters 
opened  fire  upon  our  skirmish  line  ;  but  owing  to  the  long 
range  our  casualties  were  not  numerous.  The  brigade  held 
the  position  during  the  day.  After  dark  of  this  day,  I  was 
ordered  to  protect  the  men  by  works  in  their  front,  to  be 
made  of  logs  and  earth,  and  to  be  thrown  up  with  as  little 
noise  as  possible,  so  as  not  to  attract  the  enemy's  attention. 
The  men  immediately  commenced  the  work,  but  before  it 
was  completed  and  at  about  twelve  o'clock,  M.,of  the  night, 
the  brigade  was  relieved  by  Gen.  Morgan's  Brigade  of  the 
I4th  A.  C.  Upon  being  relieved  the  brigade  marched  to  the 
open  field  in  the  rear  of  the  position  it  occupied,  and  bi 
vouacked  till  morning. 

o 

On  the  morning  of  the  I5th,  at  daylight,  the  brigade, 
with  the  division  of  which  it  forms  a  part,  marched  to  the 
Dalton  and  Resaca  road,  on  the  extreme  left  of  our  army. 
Here  I  received  the  following  order  from  Maj.-Gen.  Butter- 
field,  commanding  the  division  : 

"  Col.  WOOD,  Com'dg  Brigade  : 

"  The  division  will  move  to  attack  the  enemy's  line.  The 
column  of  attack  will  be  formed  by  Gen.  Ward's  Brigade, 
Col.  Coburn  supporting  on  his  right,  Col.  Wood  on  his  left. 
Gen.  Ward  will  form  his  column  by  regimental  front,  and 
push  a  bold  and  vigorous  attack  with  bayonets  ;  a  strong 
line  of  skirmishers  in  front.  Col.  Coburn  will  form  on  his 
right  and  rear  in  echelon  with  two  lines.  Col.  Wood  will 
form  on  Gen.  Ward's  left  and  rear  in  echelon,  will  guard  his 
left  flank  and  support  the  assault.  Gen.  Ward's  column 
will  keep  well  to  the  right  of  the  Dalton  road. 

"D.  BUTTERFIELD." 

I  moved  my  brigade  forward  to  the  hill  referred  to  and 
placed  it  in  the  formation  directed.  Before  the  attack  was  or- 


dered  Maj.  Tremain,  Act'g  A.  D.  C,  on  Maj-Gen.  Butterfield's 
Staff,  came  to  me,  and  said  that  the  situation  of  the  ground 
was  somewhat  different  from  what  it  was  understood  to  be  at 
the   time  the  written  orders  were   issued  ;    that   instead    of 
acting   as  a  support  to   Gen.  Ward,  it   was  assigned   to    me 
to  assault  and  take  the  hill  then  in  my   front,  and   that  the 
manner  of  doing  it,  and  the  formation  of  the   brigade  was 
left  to  my  own  judgment ;  that  Gen.  Butterfield  desired  the 
attack  to   be   made   at   once,  as   Gen.    Ward   was   ready   to 
advance.     This   was  to  me  very  embarrassing.     I  had   not 
reconnoitered  the   ground  ;  most  of  it  was   covered  with   a 
dense  forest  ;   I  knew  nothing  of  the  strength  of  the  enemy, 
his   position  or   the  situation  of  his  works  in  front.     I  went 
forward  and  made  a  hurried   and    imperfect  reconnoissance. 
It  seemed  to  me  that  I  was  too  far  to  the  right.   I,  therefore, 
moved  my  right  regiment  by  the   left  flank  to  the   left,  and 
changed  its  front  by  a  half  wheel  to  the  left.     I  changed  the 
formation  of  the   brigade  from   one  line    in  echelon  to  two 
lines,  putting  three  regiments   in  the    front   line  and  two   in 
the  second,  throwing  out  in   front  a  strong   line  of  skirmish 
ers.      This  formation,  made  in  a  very  hurried  manner,  being 
completed,    I    gave  the  order  to    advance.     Promptly  and 
regularly  the  men  moved    up  the  hill   and  drove  the  enemy 
from  the  crest  in   the  most   gallant   manner.     When   about 
two-thirds  of  the  way  the  left  of  the  line,  in  passing  out  the 
woods  into  an  open  space,  encountered   a   galling  cross  fire 
from   the  left,  and   which  seemed   to  come   from   the  enemy 
posted  in  a  piece  of  woods  to  the  left  and    in  front  of  me. 
Not   knowing  what,  if  any,  disposition  had   been   made  to 
protect  our   left  flank,  and   fearing  a   flank  movement  from 
the   enemy,  I  changed  the  front  of  the   73d  Ohio   so  as   to 
meet  the   threatened  danger.     A  few  well  directed  volleys 
from   this  regiment   seemed    to  silence   the  firing   from   the 
woods.     Soon   afterward    I  saw   troops  of  the  1st    Division 
(Brig.-Gen.  Williams)  going   into  position  on  my  left,  which 
removed  all  fear  of  a  flank  attack.     I  then  ordered  the   73d 
Ohio  to  resume  its  original  front  and  move  forward  on  a  line 
with  the  other   part  of  the  brigade  on  the  crest  of  the  hill. 


i6 

The   hill  was  divided   by  an   indentation  on  its  top  running 
in  the  same   direction  with   the  line  of  battle,  making   two 
crests.     In   my  front   the  crest   first  reached,  in   a  measure 
overlooked  and  commanded  the  second.     But  my  order  was 
to  occupy  the  advanced  crest.     The   order  was  obeyed,  al 
though   the   position  of  the  men   was  such   that   they  were 
under   fire  of  the  enemy  in  their  works.     As  I   anticipated 
before   the  attack   began,  my  right  regiment  was   too  far  to 
the  right,  as   there   was   some  mistake  or   misunderstanding 
on  the  part  of  the  2d    Brigade.     I    understood   that  the  2d 
Brigade   was   to   support   the  1st  Brigade  on   the  right,  but 
before  the  crest  of  the  hill  was  half  gained,  the  regiments  of 
the2d  Brigade,  after  firing  a  volley  into  the  1st  Brigade,  were 
found  on  its  left  in  no   little  confusion.     The   men  ran  over 
and  through  the  right  of  my   line,  mingling   with  the   right 
regiment  and  creating  so   much  confusion   as  to    render   the 
regiment  (26th  Wis.)  almost  unserviceable,  as  well   as  caus 
ing  great  hindrance  to  the  regiment  next  to  it  (33d   Mass.). 
Major  Winkler  with  commendable  skill  and   ability,  with  no 
little  difficulty,  extricated   his  men  from  the  confused   mass 
into  which   they  had   become   involved,  and   brought  them 
again,  reformed,  into    line.      This    hill    being  a    position  of 
much  importance  to  the   enemy,  it  was   not  to  be  supposed 
that  he  would  yield  it  without  a  struggle,  or  without  making 
an  effort  to  retake  it  after   being  driven  off.     Accordingly 
regimental  commanders  were  cautioned  that  they  might  ex 
pect   to  be   in    turn   attacked,  but   that  they  must  hold   the 
position  at  all  hazards.     The  expectation  seemed  to  be  well 
founded,  for  the  enemy  made  two  furious  assaults  upon  my 
line,  but    was  gallantly  and   successfully  repulsed.     As   the 
second  attack  seemed  to  be  a  very  determined  one,  and  as  my 
men  were  much  exhausted,  I  sent  word  for  reinforcements. 
I  knew  that   Gen.  Geary,  with  his  division,  was  in  my  rear, 
and  with  a  considerable  force,  near  the  first  crest  of  the  hill. 
I  went  to  him    in  person    for  aid.     I  failed   to  obtain  it,  and 
the  third   and   last   attack  on    my  line  was   successfully  re 
pulsed    before   reinforcements  reached   me.      The   day  was 
now  far  spent.     My   men  were  exhausted.     The  casualties 


17 

had  been  large.  At  my  request  Maj.-Gen.  Hooker  ordered 
my  brigade  relieved  by  troops  from  the  2d  Division.  After 
being  relieved  I  marched  the  brigade  into  the  valley  on  the 
Dalton  Road,  where  it  bivouacked  for  the  night.  The  con 
duct  of  the  entire  command  was  such  as  to  meet  my  highest 
commendation.  Both  officers  and  men  displayed  praise 
worthy  gallantry  and  bravery.  I  saw  no  shirking,  no  unnec 
essary  straggling.  The  wounded,  those  who  were  able,  took 
care  of  themselves,  and  those  who  were  not,  lay  upon  the 
ground  until  they  were  removed  by  the  ambulances.  My 
thanks  are  due  to  the  regimental  commanders,  for  the  dis 
tinguished  gallantry  exhibited  by  them  in  this  engagement, 
and  for  the  marked  skill  and  ability  with  which  they  han 
dled  their  respective  commands.  I  commend  them  and 
their  conduct  to  the  favorable  consideration  of  those  whose 
duty  it  is,  and  whose  pleasure  it  may  be,  to  reward  those 
who  have  rendered  important  service"  on  the  field  of  battle. 
Early  in  the  engagement  Major  Robbins,  of  the  55th  Ohio, 
fell  mortally  wounded.  Soon  after  Capt.  Peck,  of  the  same 
regiment,  was  killed,  and  in  the  last  attempt  of  the  enemy 
to  dislodge  us  from  the  hill,  Col.  Gambee,  the  worthy  and 
able  commander  of  the  same  regiment,  fell  while  cheering 
and  encouraging  his  men  to  hold  the  ground.  I  desire  to 
pay  a  passing  tribute  to  the  worth,  ability  and  high  charac 
ter  of  these  officers.  By  their  fall  the  country  and  the  ser 
vice  have  suffered  an  irreparable  loss.  It  is  with  a  real  sense 
of  loss  that  I  refer  to  the  fall  of  the  lamented  Col.  Gambee, 
a  gentleman  by  instinct,  possessed  of  a  high  sense  of  honor, 
of  warm  social  qualities,  he  actached  himself  as  a  friend  to 
all  with  whom  he  associated.  Entering  the  service  as  a 
captain  in  the  line,  he  was  for  his  peculiar  fitness  promoted 
to  the  command  of  the  regiment.  Though  a  strict  discipli 
narian,  he  had  the  confidence,  the  respect,  the  love  of  the  of 
ficers  and  men  of  his  command.  As  second  in  command 
of  the  brigade,  I  relied  on  his  good  judgment  and  sound 
sense  to  aid  me  in  the  discharge  of  the  arduous  and  import 
ant  duties  of  command.  He  regarded  with  abhorrence  the 
rebellion  which  threatened  to  overturn  our  National  govern- 


iS 

ment,  and  its  guilty  abettors,  and  he  entered  the  military 
service  not  from  choice,  but  from  a  sense  of  duty  and  the 
dictates  of  pure  patriotism.  Upon  the  altar  of  his  country 
he  has  sacrificed  his  life  and  sealed  his  principles  with  his 
blood.  In  the  engagement  in  which  he  lost  his  life  he  bore 
himself  with  distinguished  gallantry,  and  by  his  example  and 
the  able  manner  in  which  he  handled  his  regiment,  contrib 
uted  materially  to  the  successful  result  of  the  attack.  May 
his  name  be  cherished  and  his  memory  preserved  so  long  as 
bravery,  loyalty  and  patriotism  are  regarded  as  virtues 
among  men.* 

On  Monday,  the  i6th,  the  brigade  marched  through 
Resaca(the  enemy  having  retreated  during  the  night)  toward 
Field's  Mills  on  the  Oustanola  River,  which  river  was  crossed 
by  means  of  a  rope  ferry.  The  brigade  crossed  the  river  and 
got  into  position  on  the  other  side  at  about  half-past  eleven 
P.  M.,  having  marched  the  distance  of  sixteen  miles.  The 
crossing  occupied  about  two  hours. 

On  the  1 7th,  at  about  two  o'clock,  p.  M.,  the  brigade 
marched  from  Field's  Ferry  toward  Calhoun,  on  the  Cass- 
ville  Road,  and  went  into  camp  at  about  nine  o'clock,  P.  M., 
having  marched  seventeen  miles.  On  the  iSth,  at  five 
o'clock,  A.  M.,  the  brigade  took  up  the  line  of  march  toward 
Cassville.  The  road  was  obstructed  by  troops  and  trains, 
consequently  we  could  move  only  by  cutting  a  side  road. 
This  was  being  done  under  the  direction  of  Maj.-Gen. 
commanding  the  division,  when  a  side  road  was  struck  on 
which  the  brigade  marched.  Late  in  the  afternoon,  as  the 
brigade  emerged  on  the  Cassville  Road,  it  was  soon  dis 
covered  that  the  enemy,  in  some  force,  was  in  our  immediate 
front.  The  I36th  N.  Y.  was  then  formed  and  deployed, 
skirmishers  advanced,  for  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  the 
strength  of  the  enemy.  In  this  way  the  brigade  advanced 
about  two  miles,  when  our  further  advance  was  obstructed 
by  the  enemy's  line  of  rifle  pits  and  artillery.  The  brigade 
bivouacked  on  the  plateau,  between  Calhoun  and  Cassville, 
having  marched  seventeen  and  one-half  miles.  On  the 

*See  Appendix  A. 


'9 

1 9th,  in  the  morning,  I 'was  ordered  with  my  brigade  to 
make  a  reconnoissance  toward  Two  Run  Creek.  My  in 
structions  were  to  march  due  south  until  I  struck  the  creek. 
I  deployed  one  regiment,  the  73d  Ohio,  and  threw  out 
skirmishers  in  advance.  The  balance  of  the  regiment  was 
formed  in  two  columns,  at  the  right  and  left  of  the  regiment 
deployed.  In  this  formation  the  brigade  advanced.  When 
within  about  one-half  mile  from  the  creek,  it  was  discovered 
that  the  enemy,  in  force,  was  in  dangerous  proximity  on  our 
left  flank.  Being  isolated  from  the  corps  to  which  the  brigade 
belonged,  and  not  being  supported  on  the  right  by  the  2d 
Division,  and  on  the  left  by  the  ist  Division,  as  it  was 
understood  we  would  be,  and  being  unable  to  make  connec 
tion  with  either  of  these  divisions,  although  they  were 
ordered  to  march  at  the  same  time  with  our  division,  it 
became  necessary  to  withdraw  the  reconnoissance,  and  take 
up  a  defensive  position  until  supported  by  the  two  divisions 
above  referred  to.  Accordingly,  under  orders  from  the  Maj.- 
Gen.  commanding  the  division,  I  withdrew  about  one  thou 
sand  yards  from  my  most  advanced  position,  and  threw  up  a 
slight  protection  of  boards  and  rails ;  the  enemy  having 
shown  no  disposition  to  attack.  After  holding  this  position 
about  two  hours,  it  was  ascertained  that  the  1st  and  2d 
Divisions  had  advanced  in  supporting  distances  at  our  right 
and  left.  The  brigade  then  moved  out  toward  the  enemy, 
in  the  direction  of  Cassville.  The  march  was  in  column  by 
company.  We  soon  came  upon  the  enemy,  posted  behind 
Two  Run  Creek,  protected  by  hastily-constructed  works. 
As  the  position  of  the  enemy  was  such  as  to  expose  his 
flank,  he  beat  a  hasty  retreat.  To  protect  the  artillery  of  the 
division,  which  was  in  position  on  a  hill  to  my  left,  I  de 
ployed  the  brigade  on  the  northerly  bank  of  the  creek  ; 
which  position  I  occupied  until  an  advance  of  the  whole  line 
was  made,  in  which  this  brigade  took  a  part.  Moving  across 
the  creek  the  brigade  was  formed  in  two  lines,  with  one 
regiment  in  advance  supporting  the  skirmish  line  ;  connect 
ing  with  the  ist  Division  on  the  left,  and  with  the  2d 
Brigade  of  this  division  on  the  right.  The  brigade,  as  a 


20 


part  of  the  general  line,  advanced  on  Cassville,  then  occu 
pied  by  the  enemy,  through  a  dense  piece  of  woods.  Con 
sidering  the  nature  of  the  ground  over  which  it  passed,  I 
regard  this  advance  as  highly  creditable  to  the  officers  and 
men  of  the  brigade.  After  advancing  to  the  heights  north 
of  Cassville,  it  was  found  that  the  enemy  had  retreated  from 
that  place.  A  battle  there  had  been  expected,  and  it  was 
found  that  the  enemy  had  posted  his  army  with  that  view 
behind  formidable  works  on  the  opposite  heights.  The 
day  being  now  far  spent  (it  being  after  sundown),  pursuant 
to  orders,  I  marched  my  brigade  back  to  the  northerly  side 
of  Two  Run  Creek,  and  encamped  for  the  night. 

On  the  20th,  2ist  and  22d,  the  brigade  remained  in  camp 
to  rest  and  recover  from  the  exhaustions  of  the  campaign. 
On  the  23d  the  brigade  marched  from  its  camp  near  Cass 
ville  to  Euharlee,  on  the  south  side  of  Etonah  River,  distance 
sixteen  miles. 

On  the  24th  the  brigade  marched  from  Euharlee  to  Burnt 
Hickory,  distance  eighteen  miles. 

On  the  25th  the  brigade  marched  from  Burnt  Hickory, 
under  orders  to  take  a  formation  with  the  division  on  the 
Dallas  and  Marietta  Road.  The  march  of  the  brigade  was 
much  retarded  and  obstructed  by  McCook's  Cavalry,  which 
was  ordered  to  march  a  part  of  the  way  on  the  same  road 
with  this  brigade,  but  as  cavalry  is  supposed  to  move  with 
more  celerity  than  infantry,  it  was  expected  that  it  would 
be  out  of  the  way  before  the  road  was  required  for  infantry. 
At  about  three  o'clock,  p.  M.,  the  brigade  came  upon  the 
road  leading  from  Burnt  Hickory  to  Dallas,  when  it  be 
came  known  that  the  2d  Division  (Gen.  Geary)  had  passed  on 
the  same  road  and  a  short  distance  in  advance  had  had  a 
sharp  encounter  with  the  enemy,  and  that  the  enemy  was 
prepared  to  dispute  our  further  progress.  The  2Oth  Corps 
was  ordered  to  make  an  attack  and  drive  the  enemy  away. 
This  brigade  was  first  ordered  to  support  the  1st  Division 
(Gen.  Williams)  in  the  attack,  and  to  that  end  was  formed  in 
line  of  battle  by  battalion  in  mass,  with  direction  to  take  de 
ploying  intervals  as  it  advanced.  Before  I  had  advanced 


I  21 

far  I  was  ordered  to  move  my  brigade  to  the  east  side  of 
the  road  and  move  to  the  attack,  connecting  with  Williams' 
left.  As  soon  as  two  regiments  had  crossed,  the  55th  Ohio 
and  1 36th  N.  Y.  in  the  front  line  and  the  /3d  Ohio  and 
26th  Wis.  in  the  second  line,  I  was  ordered  to  advance,  keep 
ing  the  road  on  my  right.  On  communicating  to  Maj.-Gen. 
Butterfield  the  fact  that  the  33d  Mass.,  forming  a  part  of 
my  first  line,  had  not  crossed  the  road,  he  directed  me  to  place 
it  behind  the  line  in  reserve.  As  I  was  advancing  in  this 

o 

position  the  enemy  opened  a  sharp  musketry  fire  on  my  left 
flank.  As  the  fire  developed  a  considerable  force  on  my  flank  I 
faced  the  33d  Mass,  in  the  direction  of  the  fire  and  changed 
the  front  of  the  73d  Ohio  in  the  same  direction  and  ad 
vanced  in  that  position  on  the  enemy.  In  this  way  I  ad 
vanced  under  fire  as  long  as  it  was  light  enough  to  see, 
swinging  round  my  left  so  as  not  to  lose  connection  with 
the  other  regiments  of  the  brigade. 

A  deep  ravine,  a  creek  and  a  morass  separated  me  from 
the  enemy's  forces  that  attacked  my  left.  My  left  advanced 
to  this  ravine  and  creek  and  my  right  and  center  as  far  as 
1st  Division  advanced.  With  the  close  of  the  day  a  rain 
storm  and  intense  darkness  set  in,  which  put  a  stop  to  opera 
tions  on  both  sides.  I  held  the  position  to  which  we  were 
advanced  until  twelve  o'clock,  M.,  at  night,  when  in  pursu 
ance  of  orders  from  division  head-quarters  I  marched  the 
brigade  back  on  the  road  to  the  rear  of  the  1st  Division  and 
bivouacked  for  the  night. 

On  the  27th  of  May  my  brigade  was  moved  to  the  extreme 
right  and  rear  of  the  corps  and  bivouacked  in  column  by 
battalion  and  on  the  28th  relieved  Gen.  Ward's  Brigade  of 
this  division  in  the  front  line,  intrenched  on  the  extreme 
right  of  the  2Oth  A.  C.,  where  it  remained  until  the  1st  of 
June,  1864. 

On  the  1st  of  June  this  brigade  was  in  line  of  battle  near 
New  Hope  Church,  behind  a  line  of  breastworks  forming  a 
second  line,  the  first  line  of  which  was  composed  of  the  2d 
Brigade  of  this  division. 


22 

At  twelve  o'clock  of  that  day  the  brigade  was  relieved  by 
a  brigade  of  the  I5th  Corps,  Army  of  the  Tennessee,  and 
marched  about  five  miles  toward  the  left  flank  of  the  army, 
and  encamped  on  the  left  of  the  1st  Division. 

At  twelve  o'clock  on  the  2d  of  June  the  brigade  broke 
camp  and  marched  about  two  miles  further  to  the  left  and 
bivouacked  in  line  of  battle  by  battalions  in  mass,  in  two 
lines,  in  support  of  the  23d  A.  C,  which  position  was  occu 
pied  until  three  o'clock  on  the  following  day,  when  the 
brigade  moved  still  further  to  the  left,  and  bivouacked  on 
the  road  leading  to  McLean's  house,  in  rear  and  support  of 
Hovey's  Brigade  of  the  23d  A.  C.,  in  line  of  battle,  deployed 
in  two  lines. 

The  brigade  occupied  this  position  until  the  morning  of 
the  6th  of  June,  when  it  marched  on  the  Ackv,  orth  Road 
about  two  miles,  where  it  formed  a  line  of  battle  near 
Widow  Hull's,  with  its  right  resting  on  the  Sandtown  Road. 
A  strong  and  substantial  line  of  breastworks,  extending  the 
whole  front  of  the  brigade  deployed  in  one  line,  was  here 
constructed.  The  brigade  occupied  this  position  unmolested 
until  the  i5th  day  of  June. 

At  two  o'clock  on  that  day  the  brigade  broke  camp  and 
marched  on  the  Sandtown  Road  in  pursuit  of  the  enemy,  he 
having  retreated  from  his  intrenched  position.  After  march 
ing  about  a  mile  a  line  of  battle  was  formed,  this  brigade 
forming  the  third  line  in  rear  of  the  1st  and  2d  Brigades  of 
this  division.  The  enemy's  pickets  were  in  our  front  and 
it  was  ascertained  that  he  had  taken  up  a  new  position  ex 
tending  across  the  Sandtown  Road  on  which  we  were  march 
ing. 

A  reconnoissance  was  ordered  to  be  made  for  the  purpose 
of  developing  his  line  and  strength.  The  division  moved 
forward  in  line  of  battle,  with  its  right  resting  on  the  Sand- 
town  Road,  this  brigade  acting  as  support  to  the  1st  Brig 
ade  as  it  advanced  on  the  enemy's  lines. 

The  enemy  was  discovered  in  a  strongly  intrenched  posi 
tion,  with  a  battery  of  artillery  resting  upon  and  covering 
the  approach  on  the  Sandtown  Road. 


23 

After  advancing  to  within  about  one  hundred  yards  of  the 
enemy's  works  the  brigade  bivouacked  for  the  night.  This 
position  was  held  until  the  i/th  of  June.  On  the  night  of 
the  1 6th  of  June  the  enemy  abandoned  his  position  and  re 
treated,  and  at  nine  o'clock  the  following  day  this  brigade 
marched  in  pursuit. 

The  enemy  was  soon  discovered  occupying  a  new  position 
near  Noses  Creek.  This  brigade,  and  also  the  1st  Brigade 
of  this  division,  were  held  in  reserve  in  rear  of  the  new  line 
of  battle  formed  by  the  1st  Division,  the  2d  Brigade  of 
this  division  and  the  third  of  the  2d  Division,  with  orders  to 
march  to  the  support  of  any  part  of  the  line  that  might  be 
attacked.  The  brigade  occupied  this  position  until  Sunday, 
the  iQth  of  June. 

On  the  night  of  the  1 8th  of  June  the  enemy  again  re 
treated  toward  Marietta  and  took  up  a  position  on,  and 
covered  by,  Kennesaw  Mountain. 

On  the  iQth  of  June,  this  brigade  marched  in  pursuit  of 
the  enemy  across  Noses  Creek,  on  the  Dallas  and  Marietta 
Road,  the  further  progress  being  disputed  by  the  enemy's 
pickets.  I. formed  a  line  of  battle  on  the  right  of  the  road, 
and  advanced  the  brigade  formed  in  one  line  deployed. 
After  encountering  and  pushing  back  to  a  considerable  dis 
tance  the  enemy's  skirmishers,  the  brigade  was  halted. 
This  line  was  held  until  dark,  when  the  brigade  was  with 
drawn  behind  the  2d  Brigade,  about  one  hundred  yards  to 
the  rear,  where  a  line  of  breastworks  had  been  erected. 
Here  the  brigade  went  into  camp  and  occupied  the  position 
until  the  22d  of  June.  On  the  2Oth  of  June,  at  five  o'clock, 
P.  M.,  the  brigade  marched  out  of  camp,  on  the  right  of  its 
position,  to  support  the  1st  Division,  which  was  about  taking 
up  a  position  to  the  right  of,  and  in  advance  of  the  position 
then  occupied  by  the  3d  Division.  The  1st  Division  got 
into  position  without  being  molested  by  the  enemy,  and  this 
brigade  by  order,  returned  to  its  camp. 

On  the  2 ist  of  June,  I  received  orders  from  Maj.-Gen. 
Butterfield  to  make  a  reconnoissance  with  two  regiments  to 
the  right  in  front  of  our  position. 


24 

I  accordingly  ordered  the  136111  N.  Y.  and  55th  Ohio, 
under  the  command  of  Lt.-Col.  Faulkner,  to  make  the 
reconnoissance  as  ordered.  I  subsequently  reinforced  him 
with  the  73d  Ohio.  The  troops  left  camp  at  eleven 
o'clock,  A.  M.,  and  returned  at  six  o'clock,  P.  M.,  hav 
ing  accomplished  the  object  of  the  reconnoissance.  The 
enemy  occupied  the  position  on  the  crest  of  a  hill  about 
five  hundred  yards  in  our  front.  I  was  ordered  with  my 
brigade  to  drive  off  the  enemy  and  occupy  this  hill.  Accord 
ingly,  on  the  22d  of  June,  I  moved  my  brigade  forward  and 
formed  a  line  of  battle  in  the  edge  of  a  piece  of  woods,  near 
some  open  ground  which  lay  between  the  foot  of  the  hill 
and  the  woods  in  which  the  brigade  was  formed,  and  about 
one  hundred  yards  distant  from  the  hill.  This  open  ground 
was  swept  by  the  enemy's  skirmishers.  I  threw  out  a  line 
of  skirmishers,  and  ordered  forward  the  33d  Mass.  Vols.  to 
support  the  skirmish  line.  In  this  formation  the  brigade 
advanced  across  the  open  ground  in  double  quick,  pushed 
up  the  hill  which  was  occupied  by  the  enemy's  skirmish  line, 
intrenched,  drove  the  enemy  from  the  hill,  and  occupied  it 
as  ordered.  The  enemy  occupied  a  strong  position  of 
another  hill  still  in  our  front,  in  which  position  he  had  in 
trenched  himself,  and  from  which  he  kept  up  a  galling  and 
destructive  fire  on  my  line.  With  a  great  promptitude  and  dis 
patch,  the  men  in  the  face  of  this  fire  constructed  a  line  of 
breastworks  which  covered  them  from  the  enemy's  fire.  The 
enemy  made  an  ineffectual  attempt  to  dislodge  us  from  the 
hill,  drove  in  our  pickets,  but  was  quickly  repulsed  by  the 
line  and  he  retreated  behind  his  works.  At  about  five  o'clock, 
P.  M.,  this  brigade  was  relieved  by  a  brigade  from  the  4th 
A.  C.  After  being  relieved,  the  brigade  marched  to  the 
right  about  two  miles,  and  took  up  a  position  in  the  rear  in 
support  of  1st  Division. 

On  the  23d  of  June,  the  division  moved  still  further  to  the 
right  to  the  Powder  Spring  Road,  and  took  up  a  position  in  a 
line  of  battle,  deployed  with  its  right  resting  on  that  road, 
this  brigade  forming  a  second  line  of  which  the  2d  Brigade 
of  this  division  formed  the  first. 


25 

The  brigade  occupied  this  position  till  the  2/th  day  of 
June.  Before  daylight  on  that  day,  the  brigade  took  the 
position  in  rear  of  its  then  .position,  on  the  right  of  Knipe's 
Brigade  of  the  1st  Division,  with  the  right  resting  on  the 
Powder  Spring  Road.  I  should  have  said  that  the  brigade 
constructed  a  line  of  breastworks  covering  its  entire  front 
while  occupying  the  position  which  it  took  on  the  23d. 

The  brigade  occupied  this  last  position  until  the  evening  of 
the  29th  of  June,  when  it  relieved  the  front  line,  which  had 
been  occupied  by  the  2d  Brigade,  but  which  at  that  time 
was  held  by  the  1st  Brigade  of  this  division.* 

The  brigade  occupied  this  position  until  the  2d  of  July. 
On  the  night  of  the  1st  of  July,  the  enemy  retreated  from 
Kennesaw  Mountain  and  Marietta,  toward  the  Chattahoo- 

chee  River. 

On  the  morning  of  the  2d,  this  brigade  marched  in  pursuit 
of  the  enemy  on  the  Marietta  Road,  and  toward  that  place. 
After  marching  about  two  miles,  I  was  ordered  to  change 
direction  to  the  right,  and  to  march  south  toward  the  Sand- 
town  Road.  My  command  came  upon  the  enemy's  skir 
mishers,  and  found  that  he  was  occupying  a  new  line  of 
strongly  intrenched  works.  After  marching  about  two  miles 
in  the  new  direction,  we  encamped  on  the  right  of  the  2d 
Division,  on  the  west  bank  of  Nickojack  Creek,  and  occupied 
this  position  until  the  4th  day  of  July. 

On  that  day  the  brigade  changed  position  to  a  new  one 
about  one  and  one-half  miles  south.  On  going  into  this 
position,  the  enemy  was  supposed  to  be  seen  in  our  front, 
occupying  a  threatening  position  ;  thereupon,  the  brigade, 
with  great  rapidity  and  in  a  remarkably  short  space  of  time, 
constructed  a  line  of  breastworks  covering  its  entire  front. 
It  was  subsequently  ascertained  that  the  troops  seen  in  our 
front  were  a  portion  of  our  own  army  advancing  on  the 
enemy's  line. 

On    the    night    of   the    4th    of    July,    the    enemy    again 

~^0n  the  2Qth  of  June,  Maj.-Gen.  Butterfteld  was  at  his  own  request  re 
lieved  from  the  command  of  the  3d  Division,  and  Brig.-Gen.  Ward,  as 
senior  officer,  succeeded  to  the  command. 


26 

abandoned  his  works,  and  retreated  to  the  Chattahoochee 
River. 

On  the  morning  of  the  5th  this  brigade  marched  in  pur 
suit  of  the  enemy,  but  the  advance  was  very  slow,  owing  to 
the  road  being  blocked  by  troops  and  trains.  The  brigade 
crossed  the  Nickojack  Creek,  and  went  into  camp,  after 
dark,  on  its  west  bank,  about  two  miles  from  Chattahoochee 
River. 

On  the  6th  of  July  the  brigade  marched  to  a  new  position 
on  the  east  side  of  Nickojack  Creek,  in  the  same  relative 
position  to  the  Chattahoochee  River,  connecting  with  the 
2d  Brigade  on  my  right  and  1st  Brigade  on  my  left.  Here 
the  brigade  went  into  camp  and  continued  until  the  i/th 
day  of  July. 

At  three  o'clock  of  that  day  in  the  afternoon,  the  brigade 
broke  camp  and  commenced  its  march  toward  Chatta 
hoochee  River,  crossed  the  river  at  Pace's  Ferry,  marched  in 
a  north-eastern  direction  about  three  miles  and  went  into 
camp  on  the  right  of  1st  Brigade  near  Nancy's  Creek. 

On  the  1 8th  of  July  we  marched  toward  Buckhead,  hav 
ing  first  made  a  reconnoissance  to  and  across  Nancy's  Creek, 
and  ascertained  that  the  enemy  was  not  in  any  force  at  or 
near  that  creek.  The  brigade  marched  to  the  Dalton  Road 
in  line  of  battle  deployed,  when  it  changed  direction  to  the 
left  and  continued  its  advance  on  that  road.  Having  ascer 
tained  that  the  4th  A.  C.  occupied  Buckhead,  the  formation 
of  the  brigade  was  changed  from  line  of  battle  deployed,  to 
column  by  companies,  and  continued  its  advance  in  that 
formation.  The  brigade  reached  Buckhead  at  about  five 
o'clock,  P.  M.,  and  went  into  position  to  the  left  of  the  Buck- 
head  Road  and  south  of  the  Decatur  Road  in  single  line  of 
battle  deployed.  This  position  the  brigade  occupied  until 
morning  of  the  2oth  of  July. 

On  the  morning  of  the  2Oth  of  July  the  3d  Brigade,  with 
the  division  of  which  it  forms  a  part,  left  its  camp  near 
Buckhead  to  cross  Peach  Tree  Creek,  the  3d  Brigade  in  ad 
vance.  The  2d  Divison  (Brig.-Gen.  Geary)  and  a  part  or  the 
whole  of  Maj.-Gen.  Newton's  Division  of  the  4th  A.  C.  had 


27 

crossed  this  creek  the  day  previous,  and  taken  a  position  on 
the  south  bank,  leaving  a  gap  between  the  right  of  Newton's 
Division  and  the  left  of  Geary's  to  be  filled  by  the  3d  Division. 
By  order  from  division  head-quarters  the  3d  Brigade  was 
directed  to  take  position  on  the  right  to  connect  with  Gen. 
Geary,  the  1st  Brigade  on  the  left  of  the  3d  Brigade,  and  the 
2d  Brigade  on  the  left  of  the  1st,  connecting  with  Gen. 
Newton.  The  crossing  of  the  creek  by  the  division  was  ef 
fected  about  eleven  o'clock,  A.  M.,  of  the  2Oth,  without  op 
position.  Upon  receiving  the  order,  I  ordered  Lieut. -Col. 
Faulkner  to  march  the  I36th  N.  Y.  to  the  right  of  the  posi 
tions  to  be  occupied  by  the  brigade,  with  directions  to  de 
ploy  a  strong  line  of  skirmishers  in  front  of  the  position  to 
be  occupied  by  the  brigade.  Lt.-Col.  Faulkner  marched 
with  the  1 36th  N.  Y.,  took  the  position  indicated  and  de 
ployed  four  companies  of  his  regiment  as  skirmishers,  as 
directed.  With  the  other  regiments  of  the  brigade  I  was 
marching  to  occupy  the  position  as  directed  by  the  order 
from  division  head-quarters,  when  I  was  ordered  by  Brig.- 
Gen.  Ward,  the  division  commander,  personally,  to  take 
position  on  the  left  of  the  division  and  connect  with  Gen. 
Newton.  He  gave  as  a  reason  for  change  in  position  of  the 
brigades  that  Col.  Cobern,  the  commander  of  the  2d  Bri 
gade,  had  not  yet  crossed  the  creek,  and  that  it  was  import 
ant  that  the  left  position  should  be  occupied  at  once.  Ac 
cordingly  I  placed  the  brigade  in  the  position  indicated,  de 
ployed  in  line  of  battle.  Subsequently  the  2d  Brigade  took 
position  on  my  right,  the  1st  Brigade  on  the  right  of  the  2d, 
connecting  with  Brig.-Gen.  Geary.  Lt.-Col.  Faulkner  with 
the  1 36th  N.  Y.,  continued  to  occupy  the  position  to  which  I 
ordered  him,  with  his  skirmishers  deployed  in  the  front  of 
the  ist  Brigade. 

On  the  south  side  of  Peach  Tree  Creek  is  a  piece  of  flat  or 
bottom  land  extending  from  Geary's  left  to  Newton's  right, 
and  of  an  average  width  of  two  hundred  yards,  which  consti 
tuted  the  Valley  of  Peach  Tree  Creek  on  the  south  side  ;  from 
this  bottom  the  ground  rises  somewhat  abruptly  in  a  bluff 
or  ridge,  more  abruptly  on  the  left  than  on  the  right.  From 


28 

the  crest  of  this  bluff  or  ridge  the  land  descends  to  a  ravine, 
from  which  another  ridge  rises,  which  ridge  seemed  to  be 
continuous,  extending  in  front  of  the  whole  division,  as  well 
as  Newton's  Division  of  the  4th  Corps.  As  soon  as  the 
skirmishers  were  deployed,  they  advanced  and  took  posses 
sion  of  the  front  hill  or  ridge.  Behind  them,  and  on  the 
flat  or  bottom  land,  the  division  was  deployed  into  line  of 
battle,  in  the  position  indicated.  The  first  formation  of  the 
brigade  was  three  regiments  in  front,  viz. :  the  /3d  Ohio, 
26th  Wis.  and  2Oth  Conn.,  in  the  order  named  from  right  to 
left,  the  55th  Ohio  in  reserve.  Thus  formed,  the  brigade 
took  position  immediately  in  rear  of  and  at  the  foot  of  the 
first  bluff  or  ridge  above  alluded  to,  by  which  it  was  entirely 
covered. 

After  the  formation  of  the  brigade  as  above  stated,  I  was 
ordered  to  put  another  regiment  in  reserve  or  in  the  second 
line  so  that  the  brigade  line  of  battle  would  be  only  two  regi 
ments  front.  I  ordered  the  73d  Ohio  to  take  a  position  in  rear 
of  the  26th  Wis.  and  connect  on  the  left  with  the  55th  Ohio, 
also  in  reserve.  After  this  formation  was  made,  orders 
were  received  to  have  the  men  stack  arms  and  make  them 
selves  as  comfortable  as  possible  ;  that  a  further  advance 
was  not  at  that  time  contemplated.  The  skirmish  line,  how 
ever,  advanced  from  the  first  ridge  to  the  second,  and  took 
position  on  its  crest.  The  brigade  quietly  occupied  the  po 
sition  taken,  not  anticipating  a  conflict  with  the  enemy. 
There  was  quite  sharp  firing  from  the  skirmish  line  in  front, 
which  seemed  to  increase.  I  suggested  to  Gen.  Ward  that 
he  had  better  advance  the  division  to  the  top  of  the  bluff. 
He  declined,  saying  that  he  had  orders  from  corps  head 
quarters  not  to  move  until  further  orders,  and  he  should 
stay  where  he  was  until  he  received  orders  to  move.  At 
about  three  o'clock,  P.  M.,  a  private  from  the  skirmish  line 
came  to  me  and  notified  me  that  the  enemy  in  force  was  ad 
vancing  upon  us.  The  rapid  discharge  of  musketry  on  our 
left,  in  front  of  Newton's  Division,  the  sudden  retreat  to  the 
rear  of  non-combatants,  ambulances,  etc.,  of  that  division, 
the  activity  of  our  own  skirmish  line,  indicated  that  the  an- 


29 

nouncement  was  true.  I  immediately,  without  orders,  or 
dered  my  brigade  to  advance  to  meet  and  resist  the  threat 
ened  attack  of  the  enemy.  The  skirmish  line  gallantly  held 
out  to  the  last,  and  bravely  fought  the  enemy  and  materi 
ally  checking  his  advance. 

The  other  brigades  of  the  division  moved  forward  at  about 
the  same  time.  Over  the  crest  of  the  hill,  down  into  the 
ravine  on  the  other  side,  the  brigade  line  advanced,  and  as 
it  emerged  from  a  fringe  of  trees  or  bushes,  with  which  the 
bottom  of  the  valley  or  ravine  was  lined,  it  met  the  enemy. 

Coolly  and  deliberately  the  men  poured  into  their  line  a 
well  directed,  withering  and  destructive  fire,  which  covered 
the  ground  with  dead  and  wounded. 

This  checked  his  advance  and  caused  him  to  recoil.  The 
line  continuing  its  fire  charged  up  the  hill,  gained  the  crest 
and  drove  the  enemy  into  the  valley  on  the  other  side.  The 
2Oth  Conn,  on  the  left,  by  some  misapprehension,  halted 
before  reaching  the  crest  of  the  second  hill,  its  commander 
being  erroneously  ordered  to  halt  and  cease  firing,  as  our 
skirmishers  were  still  in  front.  This  misapprehension  and 
error  I  at  once  rectified,  and  the  regiment  advanced  to  the 
crest  just  as  a  body  of  the  enemy  formed  in  double  column 
were  about  to  take  advantage  of  the  apparent  gap  in  the 
line  to  attack  Newton's  Division  on  its  right  flank.  A  well- 
directed  and  murderous  volley  from  the  2Oth  Conn,  poured 
into  this  column,  threw  it  into  confusion  and  it  broke  and 
fled. 

As  there  seemed  to  be  some  indication  that  the  troops  of 
the  4th  Corps,  on  our  immediate  left,  were  being  driven  by 
the  enemy,  I  held  the  55th  Ohio  and  73d  Ohio  in  reserve, 
to  protect  my  left  flank  in  case  it  should  be  exposed.  Hap 
pily,  Maj.-Gen.  Thomas  happened  to  be  in  that  part  of  the 
field,  and  seeing  the  confusion  in  Gen.  Newton's  command, 
ordered  an  Ohio  battery  of  artillery  into  a  favorable  posi 
tion  to  reach  the  enemy.  This  battery  opened  a  destructive 
fire  on  the  enemy's  flank,  checked  his  advance  and  enabled 
the  brigade  on  my  left  to  hold  its  ground,  and  repelled  the 
attack.  As  soon  as  I  became  satisfied  that  my  flank  would 


30 

not  be  turned,  I  ordered  forward  the  73d  Ohio  to  relieve  the 
26th  Wis.,  which  was  nearly  exhausted  by  the  extreme  heat 
of  the  day  and  the  severe  fighting  in  which  it  had  been  en 
gaged.  The  men  had  expended  all  their  ammunition  and 
supplied  themselves  from  the  cartridge  boxes  of  the  dead 
and  wounded  rebels.  On  being  relieved,  the  regiment 
fell  back  about  fifty  yards  to  the  rear,  where  it  took  position 
in  line  of  battle,  ready  to  spring  to  their  guns  in  case  of 
necessity.  I  ordered  the  55th  Ohio  to  reinforce  the  line 
on  the  left,  as  there  was  a  gap  on  the  left  of  the  2oth  Conn., 
between  it  and  the  right  of  the  4th  Corps.  The  command 
ing  officer  of  the  55th  Ohio  very  properly  and  judiciously, 
with  his  regiment,  filled  that  gap.  I  withdrew  the  I36th  N. 
Y.  from  the  right  of  division,  and  with  it  relieved  the  2Oth 
Conn,  in  the  front  line,  putting  that  regiment  in  reserve. 
On  the  top  of  the  ridge,  now  occupied  by  the  brigade  line 
of  battle,  was  a  well-traveled  highway,  on  the  south  side  of 
which  was  an  ordinary  fence  of  rails,  partly  standing  and 
partly  thrown  down.  The  men  took  position  behind  this 
fence,  and  kept  a  constant  and  continuous  fire  upon  the 
enemy. 

The  enemy  made  one  or  two  ineffectual  attempts  to  renew 
the  attack,  but  his  troops  would  not  or  could  not  withstand 
the  destructive  fire  which  ours  kept  up  upon  them  from  our 
line.  He  gave  up  the  contest  and  retreated  behind  his 
strong  and  well-protected  line  of  earthworks.  This  ended 
this  severely  contested  engagement.  To  us  it  was  a  brilliant 
feat  of  arms.  We  encountered  the  enemy  in  superior  num 
bers,  in  the  open  field;  We  met  his  offensive  attack  with  an 
offensive  return  ;  his  charge  with  a  counter-charge.  The 
victory  was  complete  and  decisive.  He  left  his  dead  and 
wounded  on  the  field,  and  in  our  possession.  The  26th  Wis. 
captured  a  stand  of  colors,  and  the  skirmishers  of  the  I36th 
N.  Y.  a  battle  flag.  The  skirmishers  from  this  regiment,  de 
ployed  in  front  of  the  1st  Brigade,  continued  to  act  as  such 
while  the  engagement  lasted.  They  gallantly  held  the  ad 
vancing  line  of  the  rebels  in  check  until  the  1st  Brigade 
advanced  to  the  line  held  by  them.  The  coolness  they  dis- 


played  and  the  bravely  they  exhibited  when  under  fire  was 
worthy  of  the  highest  praise,  and  reflected  honor  on  the 
gallant  regiment  of  which  they  were  members.  This  brigade 
buried  the  bodies  of  one  hundred  and  thirty  eight  dead 
rebels,  found  behind  and  near  our  advanced  line  of  battle, 
among  whom  was  one  colonel  (Drake  of  33d  Miss.)  and  five 
line  officers.  The  severely  and  mortally  wounded  were 
scattered  over  the  ground  on  which  the  brigade  advanced, 
and  were  removed  and  cared  for  by  our  surgeons.  Six 
swords  and  many  stands  of  small  arms  of  which  no  account 
was  kept,  denote  the  captures  made  by  this  and  other 
brigades  of  this  division. 

Of  course  such  a  victory  could  not  be  obtained  without 
the  sacrifice  of  valuable  lives,  and  the  shedding  of  precious 
blood,  although  our  loss  is  slight  in  comparison  with  the  loss 
and  havoc  that  were  inflicted  on  the  rebels.  The  men  and 
officers  of  the  brigade  sustained  their  well-earned  reputation 
for  bravery  and  gallantry. 

Though  the  attack  came  upon  them  unexpectedly,  they 
met  it  with  cool  determination  and  unflinching  courage. 
Where  all  behaved  well  it  may  be  regarded  as  invidious  to 
call  attention  to  individuals,  yet  it  seems  to  me  that  I  can 
not  discharge  my  whole  duty  in  this  respect  without  point 
ing  out  for  special  commendation,  the  conduct  of  the  26th 
Wis.,  and  its  brave  and  able  commander,  Major  Winkler. 
The  position  of  this  regiment  in  the  line  was  such  that  the 
brunt  of  the  attack  on  this  brigade  fell  upon  it. 

The  brave,  skillful  and  determined  manner  in  which  it 
met  this  attack,  rolled  back  the  onset,  pressed  forward  in  a 
counter-charge  and  drove  back  the  enemy  could  not  be  ex 
celled  by  the  troops  in  this  or  any  other  army,  and  it  is 
worthy  of  the  highest  commendation  and  praise.  It  is  to  be 
hoped  that  such  conduct  will  be  held  up  as  an  example  for 
others  and  will  meet  its  appropriate  reward.* 

On  the  2 1st  of  July  the  brigade  held  the  ground  and 
position  occupied  by  it  at  the  close  of  the  battle  of  the  2Oth. 

*  See  Appendix  B. 


32 

On  the  night  of  that  day  the  enemy  retreated  and  withdrew 
behind  their  works,  which  covered  and  protected  the  city  of 
Atlanta. 

On  the  morning  of  the  22d  this  brigade  again  marched  in 
pursuit  of  the  enemy  and  advanced  within  two  miles  of  the 
center  of  the  city  of  Atlanta.  Here  the  brigade  went  into 
position  in  line  of  battle  deployed  in  two  lines  on  the  right 
of  and  connecting  with  the  2d  Division  on  our  right,  and 
constructed  a  line  of  breastworks  covering  its  entire  front. 

The  enemy  opened  upon  us  with  his  artillery  from  forts 
and  works  in  Atlanta,  but  did  no  damage. 

On  the  23d  T  was  ordered  to  take  a  position  on  the  right 
of  the  ist  Division  for  the  purpose  of  strengthening  and  re- 
enforcing  the  brigade  that  held  the  Marietta  Road  and  the 
railroad. 

Accordingly  I  marched  my  brigade  to  the  position  desig 
nated,  relieved  that  part  of  Ruger's  Brigade  of  ist  Division 
that  held  the  line  between  the  Marietta  Road  and  the  rail 
road,  and  held  and  occupied  that  part  of  the  line  with  my 
brigade,  deployed  in  line  of  battle  in  two  lines  protected  by 
breastworks  and  by  abattis  and  other  obstructions  in  the 
front. 

*On  the  24th  of  July  I  changed  the  line  by  throwing  the 
left  forward  about  eighty  yards  so  as  to  make  the  front  line 
a  straight  line,  and  constructed  a  new  line  of  breastworks 
extending  from  the  left  of  the  right  regiment,  to  the  left  of 
the  line.  This  work  was  constructed  during  the  night  of 
Saturday,  the  23d,  and  occupied  by  the  troops  at  daylight 
the  next  morning.  The  brigade  occupied  this  position  until 
the  3Oth  of  July,  the  only  change  being  that  on  the  evening 
of  the  26th  of  July  this  brigade  was  relieved  from  the  front 
line  by  Ruger's  Brigade  of  ist  Division,  and  took  a  position 
on  the  second  line,  covered  and  protected  by  breastworks. 

On  the  3Oth  of  July  the  brigade  was  ordered  to  march  to 
the  right  and  support  in  connection  with  the  division  —  Davis' 

*On  the  24th  day  of  July  General  Hooker  at  his  own  request  was  relieved 
from  the  command  of  the  2Oth  Army  Corps,  and  General  Slocum  was  as 
signed  to  the  command. 


33 

Division  of  the  I4th  Corps  —  in  a  reconnoissance  toward  East 
Point.  Accordingly  the  brigade  marched  to  the  right  flank  of 
the  army  and  took  up  a  position  on  the  right  of  the  1 5th  Corps. 
The  brigade  continued  on  the  right  of  the  army  until  the 
2d  of  August,  when  it  returned  and  took  position  in  line  of 
battle  on  the  right  of  the  2d  Brigade  of  the  division,  and 
connecting  with  the  i6th  Corps  on  the  right,  in  advance  of 
the  position  lately  occupied  by  the  Hth  Corps.  Here  the 
brigade  constructed  a  line  of  breastworks,  covering  its  en 
tire  front,  of  a  sufficient  strength  to  resist  artillery.  This 
position  was  held  until  the  morning  of  the  8th  of  August. 

On  the  7th  of  August  I  received  orders  to  advance  the 
line  and  fortify  it.  This  created  a  necessity  for  an  entire 
new  line  of  works,  except  the  works  in  front  of  one  regiment. 
On  the  left,  a  brigade  of  the  Hth  Corps,  occupying  a  posi 
tion  in  reserve  to  this  brigade,  was  ordered  to  assist  in  con 
structing  these  works.  The  works  were  constructed  on  the 
night  of  the  ;th  and  were  occupied  by  the  brigade  on  the 
morning  of  the  8th.  On  Tuesday,  the  gth,  the  right  regi 
ment  of  my  brigade  was  relieved  on  the  front  line  by  a 
regiment  of  a  brigade  from  the  I4th  Corps,  above  alluded 
to.  The  regiment  so  relieved  was  held  in  reserve.  The 
1 6th  Corps  having  advanced  their  line,  I  was  ordered  to  ad 
vance  by  a  detail  from  the  three  brigades  of  the  division. 

The  works  were  so  far  completed  that  on  the  evening  of 
the  loth  I  moved  the  brigade  into  the  new  line,  and  the 
works  were  completed  by  the  regiments  which  lay  behind 
them.  This  position  was  occupied  by  the  brigade,  one  regi 
ment  in  reserve,  until  the  13th  of  August.  On  the  nth 
of  August  I  received  an  order  still  further  to  advance  my 
line  to  connect  on  the  left  with  the  2d  Brigade,  which  also 
took  an  advanced  position,  and  to  construct  a  new  line  of 
breastworks  to  cover  this  advance.  Accordingly,  working 
parties  were  detailed,  the  work  was  constructed  in  the  night 
as  ordered,  and  the  brigade  moved  into  the  new  line,  on  the 
morning  of  the  I3th.  This  new  position  was  occupied  by 
the  brigade  until  the  evening  of  the  25th  of  August.  From 
the  time  of  arrival  in  front  of  Atlanta  the  troops  were  under 


34 

fire  from  artillery.  On  the  evening  of  the  24th,  orders  were 
received  that  this  brigade  and  the  2d  Brigade  of  this  divis 
ion  would  march  on  the  evening  of  the  25th  to  Turner's 
Ferry  on  the  Chattahoochee,  to  hold  and  cover  the  ferry 
pending  the  contemplated  movement  of  the  army  to  the 
right  and  rear  of  Atlanta,  with  the  view  of  cutting  the  Ma- 
con  Railroad,  on  which  the  enemy  relied  for  the  transporta 
tion  of  his  supplies.  I  was  also  ordered  to  send  one  regi 
ment  to  Turner's  Ferry,  on  the  morning  of  the  25th,  to 
construct  a  line  of  breastworks  to  protect  the  brigade  when 
it  should  take  possession  there.  Accordingly,  on  the  morn 
ing  of  the  25th,  the  2Oth  Conn,  was  dispached  to  Turner's 
Ferry  for  the  purpose  indicated,  with  instructions  to  com 
ply  with  the  order.  At  eight  o'clock,  P.  M.,  of  the  25th,  the 
brigade  was  withdrawn  from  behind  the  line  of  works, 
marched  across  Proctor's  Creek  on  the  Turner's  Ferry  Road, 
where  it  was  massed  and  halted  to  await  the  movement  of 
a  certain  part  of  the  4th  Corps.  At  two  o'clock,  A.  M.,  of 
the  26th,  the  brigade  resumed  its  march  toward  Turner's 
Ferry,  at  which  point  it  arrived  at  five  o'clock,  A.  M.,  went 
into  position  in  line  of  battle,  deployed  in  single  line  on  the 
left  of  2d  Brigade,  its  right  resting  on  the  Turner's  Ferry 
Road  and  its  left  on  the  Chattahoochee  River. 

As  soon  as  it  was  in  position  the  brigade  commenced  vig 
orous  work  to  construct  the  line  of  defenses,  by  throwing 
up  breastworks,  making  abattis,  cutting  down  trees  for  ob 
structions,  and  planting  other  obstacles  to  the  approach  of 
the  enemy. 

On  the  27th  day  of  August,  and  before  the  defenses  were 
fully  completed,  the  enemy  made  a  demonstration  upon  us 
by  a  force  consisting  of  two  brigades  of  infantry  and  a  bat 
tery  of  four  pieces  of  artillery,  under  Brig.-Gen.  French.  He 
opened  upon  us  a  very  rapid  discharge  of  artillery,  drove  in 
our  pickets  by  an  attack  of  his  infantry,  but  as  soon  as  he 
discovered  the  strength  of  our  position,  and  received  one  or 
two  rounds  from  a  section  of  a  battery  behind  our  works, 
within  range  of  which  he  had  planted  his  artillery,  he  dis 
continued  his  attack  and  retreated  from  our  position.  Our 


35 

casualties  were  two  men  killed,  one  wounded  and  two  miss 
ing.  This  position  was  held  without  further  molestation  from 
the  enemy,  until  the  2d  of  September. 

On  the  morning  of  the  2d  of  September  a  detachment  of 
four  hundred  men  was  sent  from  this  brigade  to  join 
a  similar  detachment  from  the  2d  Brigade  for  the  purpose 
of  making  a  reconnoissance  toward  Atlanta.  The  reconnois- 
sance  was  made,  and  it  was  ascertained  that  the  enemy,  on 
the  night  of  the  1st  of  September,  after  destroying  his  ord 
nance  stores  and  other  stores  then  in  the  city,  had  evacuated 
the  city  and  retreated  southward.  The  city  was  formally  sur 
rendered  by  the  mayor  and  common  council,  and  taken  pos 
session  of  by  the  troops  composing  the  reconnoitering  party. 
That  portion  of  the  brigade  which  formed  the  detachment 
detailed  for  the  reconnoissance  did  not  return  to  Turner's 
Ferry,  but  was  held  in  the  city  for  its  protection.  I  was  or 
dered  to  take  the  balance  of  my  brigade  and  join  that  portion 
of  it  already  in  the  city.  On  the  4th  of  September  I  moved 
my  head-quarters  to  the  city  of  Atlanta,  and  the  balance  of 
the  brigade  with  brigade  train  marched  into  the  city,  joined 
that  portion  already  there  and  took  a  position  in  the  south 
part  thereof,  behind  the  works  built  and  abandoned  by  the 
rebels. 

This  brigade  left  Lookout  Valley  on  the  2d  of  May, 
1864,  numbering  nineteen  hundred  officers  and  men.  Dur 
ing  the  latter  part  of  May  the  2Oth  Conn,  joined  the  brig 
ade  with  four  hundred  men.  The  casualty  reports  have  been 
forwarded  monthly,  and  show  a  loss  during  the  campaign 

in  killed,  8  officers,  157  enlisted  men. 

in  wounded,  34         "         717 

in  missing,        I  24 

Total,         941 

This  ends  the  campaign  of  Atlanta,  commencing,  so  far  as 
this  brigade  is  concerned,  on  the  2d  of  May  last,  and  ending 
with  the  occupation  of  Atlanta,  as  herein  stated  ;  a  campaign 
as  difficult  and  arduous  as  it  has  been  successful  and  tri 
umphant.  During  its  continuance  this  brigade  has  been 
actively  and  almost  uninterruptedly  engaged  either  con- 


36 

structing  defenses,  in  hard  marches,  severe  skirmishes,  terrific 
battles  or  in  the  trenches,  and  in  line  of  battle,  watching  a 
cautious  and  vigilant  enemy.  It  has  shrunk  from  no  duty, 
and  avoided  no  danger.  Its  promptness,  its  discipline,  its 
bravery  and  its  efficiency  have  at  all  times  and  under  all 
circumstances  been  conspicuous.  Its  conduct  has  been  such 
as  to  warrant  me  in  adding  that  I  feel  proud  of  my  com 
mand. 

My  thanks  are  due  and  are  hereby  most  heartily  tendered 
to  every  individual  officer  and  man  of  which  it  is  composed, 
for  the  cheerfulness,  alacrity  and  zeal  with  which  every  order 
I  have  given  has  been  obeyed,  and  for  the  apparent  confi 
dence  which  has  been  reposed  in  me.  I  cannot  express  in 
too  strong  terms  the  commendation  to  which,  in  my  judg 
ment,  the  entire  command  is  entitled.  It  has  fairly  won,  and 
I  trust  will  promptly  receive,  the  commendation  and  grati 
tude  of  the  government  it  has  been  fighting  to  uphold,  and 
of  the  people  whose  liberties  it  has  endeavored  to  maintain 
and  secure.  Its  depleted  ranks,  its  maimed  and  disabled 
members,  the  graves  of  its  killed,  found  on  almost  every 
rood  of  ground  between  Dalton  and  Atlanta,  all  proclaim  in 
silent  but  emphatic  and  eloquent  language,  not  only  the  in 
domitable  courage  and  gallantry  which  have  characterized 
its  operations,  but  the  immense  costs  and  sacrifice  with 
which  our  successes  have  been  obtained.  Peace  to  the 
brave  !  the  honored  dead  !  May  their  names  be  revered  and 
their  patriotism  and  courage  remembered  by  a  generous 
government  and  a  grateful  people,  and  may  their  afflicted 
families  and  mourning  children  reap  the  just  reward  of  their 
labors. 

I  cannot  close  this,  rny  final  report  of  the  operations  of 
my  brigade  in  the  campaign  of  Atlanta,  without  giving  re 
newed  expression  to  the  thanks  which  I  deem  to  be  due  to 
the  officers  of  my  staff,  for  their  kindness  and  gentlemanly 
conduct  as  members  of  my  military  family,  for  the  alacrity, 
zeal  and  dispatch  with  which  they  have  promulgated  my 
orders,  for  the  energy  and  ability  with  which  they  have  dis 
charged  their  specific  duties,  for  the  bravery  and  gallantry 


37 

which  they  have  displayed  on  every  battle  field,  and  in  the 
face  of  every  danger,  and  for  the  constant  efforts  they  have 
made  to  relieve  me  of  the  labors,  and  to  lighten  the  responsi 
bilities  which  my  official  position  imposed  on  me.  I  can 
only  again  recommend  them  as  well  as  those  officers  I  have 
particularly  mentioned  in  my  report  of  specific  battles,  to  the 
attention  and  consideration  of  those  whose  duty  and  busi 
ness  it  is  to  point  out  the  worthy  and  the  meritorious, 
when  the  jewels  are  made  up  and  the  rewards  of  merit  dis 
tributed. 

I  am,  Captain,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 
JAMES  WOOD,  JR., 
Col.  Commanding 

3d  Brig.,  3d  Div.,  XX.  C. 

Captain  ROBERT  E.  BEECHER, 

A.  A.  A.  G. 


APPENDIX  A. 


Before  I  had  any  experience  in  the  operations  of  war,  I  had 
read  that  no  subordinate  commander,  officer  or  private  in  a  large 
army,  could  give  any  correct  account  or  report  of  a  battle  in 
which  he  took  part.  All  each  one  could  do  was,  to  describe  what 
he  saw  and  did,  and  if  a  subordinate  commander,  the  operations 
of  his  own  command.  My  own  experience  in  the  battles  of  the 
war  of  the  rebellion,  in  which  I  took  part,  confirms  what  I  had 
read. 

The  report  of  the  operations  of  my  brigade  at  Resaca  de 
scribes  what  took  place  under  my  own  observations.  I  endeav 
ored  to  carry  out  the  orders  as  finally  delivered  to  me  from  divis 
ion  head-quarters.  I  could  not  see,  and  did  not  observe  the 
operations  of  the  other  two  brigades  of  the  division  in  the  corps. 
During  the  night  after  the  battle  the  enemy  retreated,  and  the 
brigade  I  commanded  marched,  with  the  rest  of  the  corps,  in  pur 
suit.  I  received  no  account  of  the  operations  of  the  other  two 
brigades,  nor  did  I  ever  have  any  information  on  the  subject  until 
the  publication  of  the  "Life  of  Ben.  Harrison,"  by  Lew  Wallace, 
in  August,  1888,  during  the  pendency  of  the  political  campaign  of 
that  year.  This  called  my  attention  to  the  subject  and  gave  me,  for 
the  first  time,  information  of  the  operations  of  the  other  two  brig 
ades  of  the  division.  My  attention  thus  being  called  to  the  sub 
ject,  I  looked  up  my  own  report  of  the  part  taken  by  my  brigade 
in  the  battle.  At  the  opening  of  the  attack  Gen.  (then  Col.)  Har 
rison  was  in  command  of  the  yoth  Ind.  Regiment.  At  the  close, 
according  to  the  "  Life,"  he  was  in  command  of  the  ist  Brigade, 
Gen.  Ward  being  disabled  by  a  gunshot  wound.  It  is  due  to  the 
truth  of  history,  that  all  those  who  took  part  in  the  stupendous 
war  of  the  rebellion  should,  when  opportunity  occurs,  relate  what 
he  himself  saw  and  did,  and  correct  the  mistakes  of  others,  whether 
intentionally  or  inadvertently  made.  Though  the  history  of  Col. 


40 

Harrison's  connection  with  the  Atlanta  campaign,  was  written  by 
Gen.  Lew  Wallace,  it  is  fair  to  presume  it  was  written  from  infor 
mation  derived  from  Gen.  Harrison  himself.  He  gives  his  recol 
lection  of  the  operations  of  the  troops  under  his  command,  and 
the  part  he  took  in  it,  himself.  It  is  not  doubted  that  Col.  Har 
rison  and  his  men  displayed  the  bravery  and  gallant  conduct 
which  the  "  Life  "  ascribes  to  them.  The  "  Life"  says  "  that  not 
inaptly  it  has  been  said  that  the  engagement  which  ensued  was 
really  two  battles  instead  of  one.  We  shall  confine  ourselves,  alto 
gether,  to  that  of  Gen.  Ward,"  and  yet  the  author  concludes  his 
account  of  the  battle,  by  saying,  Wood's  assault  of  the  other  height 
had  been  equally  brave  and  unsuccessful.  In  saying  that  Wood's 
assault  "was  equally  unsuccessful,"  the  author  is  mistaken.  On 
the  contrary,  the  assault  was  successful.  The  3d*  Brigade  took 
the  heights  I  was  ordered  to  assault,  drove  the  enemy  from  the 
rifle-pits,  or  breastworks,  they  had  constructed,  and  held  the  po 
sition.  After  reading  this  account  of  the  assault  in  the  "  Life,"  I 
can  understand  why  the  enemy  made  such  desperate  efforts  to  drive 
me  off,  as  my  report  shows.  I  did  not  know  at  the  time  that  the  ist 
Brigade  had  retreated  to  the  foot  of  the  hill,  leaving  my  brigade 
unsupported  on  the  top.  I  understood  at  the  time,  the  men  of 
the  2d  Brigade  did  open  fire  on  the  troops  in  front  of  them,  for 
the  fire  reached  the  26th  Wis.,  my  right  regiment,  and  threw  it 
into  such  confusion  that  it  was  obliged  to  withdraw  from  the  line 
and  re-form. 

In  his  report  of  the  battle  (on  file  in  the  War  Department),  Gen. 
Ward  says:  "  I  formed,  as  directed,  about  one  mile  from  the  ene 
my's  works,  about  twelve  o'clock.  I  was  then  ordered  to  charge. 
My  command  moved  forward  in  fine  order  through  the  thick 
woods.  After  moving  forward  about  two  hundred  yards,  the  col 
umn  debouched  into  an  open  field.  I  immediately  gave  the  order 
'  double  quick.'  It  was  obeyed  promptly.  The  men  moving 
steadily,  rapidly,  carried  a  lunette  beyond  the  field,  in  a  dense 
wood,  on  a  commanding  position. 

"  When  we  came  to  the  open  field  the  first  regiment  (yoth  Ind.) 
and  the  second  (79th  Ohio)  took  the  double-quick  sooner  than 
did  the  third  (io2d  111.),  the  fourth  (losth  111.)  and  the  fifth 
( 1 29th  111.).  This  made  a  gap  in  the  column.  I  turned  back  and 
ordered  those  behind  to  close  up  on  the  double-quick.  At  that 
time,  a  battery  on  the  right,  and  that  in  front,  were  pouring  shell 


41 

and  canister  into  the  column.     The  musketry  from  the  rebel  lines 
was  also  very  heavy,  and  doing  great  execution  ;  yet  the  column 
moved  forward  in    pretty   good   order.     Two   of  my   regimental 
flags  were  placed   on  the  works.     Owing   to  some  mistake  in  the 
transmission    of   orders,    a    portion    of    my    command   fell   back. 
When  I  reached  a  point  of  high  ground,  between  the  captured  lu 
nette  and  the  enemy's  breastworks,  I   found  about  four  hundred 
of  my  men.      Col.  Gilbert  of  the  igth  Mich,  came  up  at  this  time 
with  his  regiment.     I  ordered  him  to  form  with  my  men.     He  ex 
ecuted  the  order  promptly.     All  this  time  the  enemy   was  firing 
upon  us.      We  returned  the  fire  as  soon  as  the  men  were  formed. 
I  ordered   them   to  move  forward   toward   the   breastworks,  and 
continue  the  fire.     The  whole  line  of   works  opened  a  heavy  fire, 
which  threw  the  men   into  some  confusion,  and  many,  in  spite  of 
all  I  could  do,  fell   back  and  retreated.     Those  who   remained  I 
ordered  to  take  trees  and  lie  down,  and  crawl  up  to  the  works,  say 
ing  we  could  carry  them,  and  I  would  lead.    They  moved  on  until 
we  got  within  about  fifteen  paces  of  the  works,  when  I  was  shot. 
I  then  ordered  them  to  hold  their  places  under  cover,  as  much  as 
possible.     I  was  shot  through  the  left  arm.      I  went  to  the  foot  of 
the  hill  to  have  my  wound  dressed.     The  slight  movement  caused 
by  my  starting,  seemed  to  arouse  the  enemy  (they  had  been  quiet 
for  some  time)  and  he  opened  upon  me  from  his  entire  line,  driv 
ing  my  men    and  forcing  them   to  retreat   in  double-quick  time. 
I  could  only  follow  their   retreating   steps  to  the  foot  of  the  hill, 
where  I  found  a  surgeon  and  had  my  wound  dressed.     On  reach 
ing  the  bottom,  I  found  some  one  hundred  men  of  my  command. 
I  ordered  them  forward   to  aid   their  comrades,  who  were  already 
in  or    near  to   the   works.     They   quickly  and   promptly  started; 
but  as  they  reached  the  road  covered  by  the  enemy's  battery  on 
our  right,  they  were  thrown  into  confusion  by  the  shells,  and  it 
was  impossible  to  rally  and  re-form  them  at  that  point.     This  was 
between   four  and   five  o'clock  in  the   afternoon.     At   the  foot  of 
the  hill  I  found  that  portion  of  my  brigade  which  had  fallen  back, 
formed  and  ready  to  re-assault  the  enemy.     I  sent  my  aid,  Lieut. 
Harrington,   to    Gen.    Butterfield  for   permission    to    assault   the 
works  again.     This  he  refused  to  give. 

"  But  for  a  fire  in  the  rear  (by  mistake),  I  am  satisfied  that  we 
would  not  only  have  succeeded  in  carrying  the  battery,  but  should 
also  have  carried  the  breastworks." 


42 

There  seems  to  be  a  discrepancy  between  the  account  of  the 
operations  of  the  ist  Brigade  as  contained  in  the  "Life,"  and  in 
Gen.  Ward's  report  As  to  the  fire  in  the  rear,  Gen.  Ward  simply  re 
fers  to  the  fact  without  indicating  from  whence  the  fire  came.  The 
"Life"  says  the  fire  in  the  rear  of  the  ist  Brigade  came  from  the 
2d  Brigade.  This  is  correct.  Both  Gen.  Ward's  report  and  the 
account  of  the  battle  in  the  "  Life,"  attribute  the  unsuccessful 
assault  and  retreat  of  the  ist  Brigade  to  this  "fire  in  the  rear." 
This  was  probably  the  case  ;  as  nothing  is  so  demoralizing  and 
discouraging  to  troops  in  action,  as  a  fire  in  the  rear. 

According  to  Gen.  Ward's  report,  he  did  not  leave  the  field,  or 
surrender  command  of  his  brigade,  although  wounded  by  a  shot 
through  his  left  arm.  And  I  remember  that  it  was  so  said  imme 
diately  after  the  battle.  But  there  is  this  to  be  said  in  favor  of 
Gen.  Harrison,  and  his  account  of  the  battle  as  contained  in  the 
"  Life,"  as  between  him  and  Gen.  Ward,  when  they  differ  ;  he 
could  describe  his  own  actions  and  the  operations  of  his  regiment 
more  fully  and  correctly  than  Gen.  Ward  could,  who  had  the  whole 
of  his  brigade  to  look  after. 

Immediately  after  the  battle,  I  received  from  Gen.  Butterfield 
the  following  complimentary  note: 

HEAD-QUARTERS  30  BUTTERFIELD  Div.,  20TH  CORPS. 
Col.  WOOD,  Commanding  Brig.: 

Dear  Col,:  You  have  renewed  my  pride  and  confidence  in 
your  command  and  yourself.  The  division  as  a  whole  has  made 
a  proud  record.  Those  who  witnessed  your  charge  on  the  first 
hill,  speak  in  high  terms  of  it.  Get  every  thing  in  hand  ;  encour 
age  all.  Be  ready  for  any  thing  to-morrow. 

Very  truly  your  friend, 

DANL.  BUTTERFIELD. 

Subsequently  Gen.  Butterfield  forwarded  to  the  War  Depart 
ment  the  following  recommendation,  which  was  approved  by  Gen. 
Hooker: 

HEAD-QUARTERS  30  Div.  20TH  CORPS,  ) 
NEAR  MARIETTA,  GEO.,  June  27,  1864.  j 
To  the  Hon.  Secretary  of  War: 

I  earnestly  recommend  for  promotion  Col.  James  Wood,  Jr., 
1 36th  N.  Y.  V.  I.,  to  be  a  Brig. -General  of  Volunteers,  for  gallantry 


43 

and  good  conduct  in   the  engagements  of  Resaca,  Dallas  or  New 
Hope  Church,  Cassville  and  Gilgal,  or  Hard  Shell  Church. 

The  colonel  has  been  a  long  time  in  command  of  a  brigade,  and 
has  fairly  earned  the  promotion. 

I  am  very  respectfully,  your  obt.  servt., 

DANL.  BUTTERFIELD, 

Maj.  -  Gen.   Conicfg. 


APPENDIX  B. 

In  my  report,  I  have  given  an  account  of  the  operations  of  my 
brigade  in  the  battle  of  Peach  Tree  Creek.  My  recollection  of 
what  occurred  at  that  battle,  so  far  as  my  brigade  was  concerned, 
is  distinct.  It  was  a  fearful  battle,  and  the  3d  Division  was  very 
nearly  taken  by  surprise.  Gen.  Ward  notified  me  that  Gen. 
Hooker  had  ordered  him  to  put  his  men  in  position  at  the  foot  of 
the  bluff,  and  have  the  men  rest  until  further  orders.  Gen.  Ward 
took  position  in  rear  of  my  brigade.  I  was  in  conversation  with 
him  when  the  active  skirmish  fire  commenced.  I  told  him  I 
thought  it  indicated  an  advance  of  the  enemy,  and  I  thought  our 
line  should  be  advanced.  He  said  Gen.  Hooker's  orders  were  for 
him  to  remain  in  the  bottom  where  he  was  until  further  orders.  I 
said  in  view  of  the  sharp  skirmish  firing,  I  should  not  longer  stay 
at  the  foot  of  the  bluff.  I  immediately  repaired  to  my  command 
and  ordered  an  advance.  Capt.  Tibbetts,  of  Gen.  Ward's  staff, 
accompanied  me.  I  advanced  my  brigade  without  orders.  As  I  was 
proceeding  from  Ward's  head-quarters  to  my  own,  an  officer,  or 
private  from  the  skirmish  line  came  back  and  told  me  the  enemy 
were  advancing  in  force.  My  command  promptly  moved  to  the 
top  of  the  hill,  and  came  in  contact  with  the  enemy  as  stated  in 
my  report.  The  "  Life  "  contains  the  following,  p.  219  : 

"While  the  struggle  was  yet  pending  and  in  its  full  fury, 
Coburn,  with  his  command,  passed  up  the  hill,  and  entering  the 
engagement  covered  Harrison's  exposed  flank,  and  engaged  the 
enemy  along  his  whole  front  ;  then  riding  to  Wood,  who  was 
standing  at  a  halt,  suggested  that  he  too  advance  up  the  hill. 
Wood  replied  that  his  orders  were  to  stay  where  he  was.  But  see 
ing  the  necessity,  he  promptly  gave  the  order,  and  imitating  the 


44 

rush  of  the  other  brigades,  left  no  cause  of  complaint  against 
them." 

I  don't  know  why  it  was  necessary,  in  order  to  show  that  Gen, 
Harrison  was  a  brave  man  and  able  officer,  to  cast  reflection  on  me 
and  represent  that  I  did  not  appreciate  the  situation,  and  was  not 
prompt  in  moving  on  the  enemy.  Coburn  could  not  have  ridden  to 
me,  for  neither  he  nor  any  of  the  officers  of  the  division  were  on 
horseback  during  the  fight.  I  advanced  my  brigade  as  soon  as  the 
skirmish  firing  indicated  there  was  danger  ahead.  None  of  the 
brigade  commanders  received  orders  to  advance  in  consequence 
of  the  order  received  from  Gen.  Hooker  until  after  my  brigade 
commenced  the  movement.  All  were  impressed  with  the  neces 
sity  of  advancing.  I  was  told  by  one  of  Gen.  Hooker's  staff  that 
the  3d  Brigade  was  the  first  to  commence  the  movement,  but  the 
•three  brigades  reached  the  top  of  the  bluff  about  the  same  time. 
After  I  reached  the  top  and  after  the  brigade  was  in  conflict  with 
the  enemy,  Col.  Coburn  came  to  me  in  an  excited  state  of  mind 
and  said  something  in  reference  to  the  state  of  affairs,  but  I  do 
not  remember  what  he  said,  and  that  was  the  first  I  saw  of  him. 
I  did  not  see  him  on  the  flats  or  before  my  brigade  moved  to 
the  top  of  the  bluff. 

I  quote  also  the  following  from  the  "Life,"  page  219: 

"It  happened  that  when  the  attack  developed,  he  (Gen.  Harri 
son)  had  near  one  hundred  men  from  a  New  York  regiment  in  his 
front,  detailed  to  help  the  skirmishers.  They  were  specially  se 
lected,  because  armed  with  Spencer  repeating-rifles.  Time  to 
return  them  to  their  command  proper,  was  too  short.  He  cast 
about  to  make  them  useful,  and  seeing  the  old  mill,  ordered  them 
into  it.  They  did  excellent  service  there  in  aiding  to  hold  the 
Confederates  upon  the  brow  of  the  hill  while  the  brigades  were 
rushing  upward.  Harrison  says  they  held  them  as  stiff  as  ever  he 
saw." 

These  skirmishers  were  from  the  i36th  N.  Y.  Regiment.  They 
did  not  have  Spencer  repeating-rifles,  but  U.  S.  Springfield  rifles. 
They  were  not  ordered  to,  nor  did  they  go,  into  an  old  mill. 
They  did  hold  the  rebels  u  stiff  "  but  it  was  by  fighting  in  the  open 
field.  Reference  to  my  report  will  show  how  it  happened  that  the 
1 36th  N.  Y.  was  separated  from  the  brigade  to  which  it  belonged. 
The  men  of  the  i36th  N.  Y.  all  wore  white  felt  hats,  which  made 
them  somewhat  conspicuous  in  the  line.  Their  coolness  and 


45 

bravery  —  the  stiffness  with  which  they  held  the  rebel  line,  the  in 
trepidity  with  which  they  kept  the  front  and  joined  in  the  fight 
when  the  ist  Brigade  line  reached  them,  attracted  the  attention 
and  received  the  warm  commendation  of  Gen.  Hooker. 

I  have  obtained  the  following  statements  from  the  officers  of  the 
i36th  N.  Y.  engaged  in  that  skirmish  line,  which  confirms  my  re 
port  and  recollection. 

STATEMENT  OF  CAPTAIN  CHAPIN  OF  Co.  C. 
After  the  i36th  N.  Y.  had  taken  position  on  the  right  of  the 
division  and  on  the  left  of  Gen.  Geary,  Lt.-Col.  Faulkner  ordered 
me  to  take  Cos.  A,  C,  D  and  G  and  deploy  as  skirmishers  in 
the  interval  between  the  2d  Brigade  and  the  left  of  Geary's  Divis 
ion.  Our  objective  point  was  the  second  ridge;  the  first  was  not 
as  high  as  the  second.  To  the  right  and  in  front  of  Geary's  was 
a  small  creek  running  to  his  left  and  breaking  the  second  ridge,  so 
that  the  ridge  we  were  to  occupy  was  in  advance  of  and  to  the  left 
of  Geary's  line,  about  two  hundred  yards,  and  down  in  this  hol 
low  on  this  little  creek  was  the  mill.  This  ridge  to  the  right  of 
where  we  were  to  go,  was  already  occupied  by  the  rebel  skir 
mishers.  When  all  was  ready  we  commenced  the  advance  and 
did  not  stop  until  the  ridge  was  gained,  driving  the  enemy's  skir 
mishers  before  us.  The  right  of  my  line  was  refused  to  connect 
with  Geary's  ;  but  we  were  in  advance  of  tile  mill.  On  this  ridge 
was  an  old  sunk  road,  which  answered  very  well  for  rifle  pits.  At 
about  the  center  of  my  line  there  was  a  turn  in  the  road  following 
down  the  hill  and  past  the  old  mill.  My  line  on  the  right  was  in 
advance  of  this  road  about  thirty  yards.  None  of  the  skirmishers 
occupied  the  mill  at  any  time.  For  some  time  after  we  gained 
the  ridge  there  was  kept  up  a  scattering  skirmish  fire,  in  which 
several  of  my  men  were  wounded.  After  a  while  the  firing  ceased 
and  all  was  quiet.  Some  of  the  men  were  lying  down  —  others 
were  picking  blackberries  —  but  all  were  on  the  alert.  Word  was 
brought  to  me  by  Lieut.  Smith  of  Co.  G  that  the  enemy  were 
moving  to  our  left.  In  front  of  the  center  of  my  line  and  to  the 
left  was  a  thinly-wooded  belt  of  timber,  but  to  the  right  the  wood 
was  more  dense,  and  a  wider  space  was  cleared  in  front  of  Geary, 
a  field  of  about  twenty  acres.  On  being  notified  by  Lieut.  Smith 
I  went  to  the  brow  of  the  hill  and  reconnoitered  the  situation.  I 
immediately  sent  word  to  Col.  Faulkner  of  the  situation,  and  that 
if  we  were  to  hold  the  position,  reinforcements  should  be  sent 


46 

forward  at  once.  At  this  time  the  ist  Brigade  was  not  in  position 
in  our  rear.  I  saw  the  rebel  line  of  attack  advancing  by  company 
front  —  muskets  "  right  shoulder  shift."  My  whole  thought  was 
to  hold  that  ridge  at  all  hazards.  I  ran  along  the  line,  told  the 
men  we  must  hold  the  ridge  at  all  hazards  —  not  to  waste  any 
powder,  but  to  make  every  shot  tell.  Every  man  seemed  to  real 
ize  the  situation.  They  loaded  and  fired  with  as  much  coolness 
and  precision  as  though  they  were  practicing  on  parade.  I  felt 
proud  of  my  command.  At  this  time  the  ist  Brigade  had  com 
menced  its  movement,  but  had  not  yet  reached  the  foot  of  the  ridge. 
I  shouted  to  them  to  hurry  up  if  they  wanted  to  save  the  ridge. 
About  the  time  they  reached  the  base  of  the  ridge  a  section  of 
Geary's  Battery,  which  was  on  a  considerable  higher  elevation  than 
the  ridge  we  occupied,  changed  the  direction  of  its  fire  to  a  left 
oblique,  bringing  my  men  in  the  range  of  his  guns.  I  immediately 
ordered  my  men  to  fall  back  out  of  range,  which  they  did  in  good 
order,  meeting  the  line  of  the  ist  Brigade.  My  skirmishers  ad 
vanced  on  the  enemy  in  front  of  the  ist  Brigade  line  to  the  top  of 
the  hill.  We  charged  the  rebel  line  and  pushed  it  back.  A 
rebel  flag  was  captured  by  Private  Dennis  Buckley.  He  was 
killed  while  holding  the  flag  aloft.  The  rebels  made  an  ineffect 
ual  attempt  to  retake  the  flag.  The  rebels  came  over  the  brow  of 
the  hill  and  nearly,  if  not  quite,  half  way  down,  before  they  re 
coiled.  Every  shot  from  our  line  seemed  to  take  effect.  The 
rebels  being  above  us,  their  balls  flew  over  our  heads,  and  when 
we  gained  the  summit  there  were  more  dead  and  wounded  rebels 
in  our  rear  than  in  our  front.  We  held  the  position  until  the 
rebels  retreated  behind  their  fortified  position,  when  we  were  or 
dered  to  join  our  regiment.  We  retired  from  the  front,  bringing 
back  our  dead  and  wounded,  with  the  flag  we  had  captured.  The 
regiment  joined  the  brigade  to  which  it  belonged  and  relieved  the 
2oth  Conn,  in  the  front  line  of  the  brigade,  ready  to  meet  any 
further  attack  the  rebels  might  see  fit  to  deliver.  In  an  old  letter 
among  my  war  papers  —  written  home  a  day  or  two  after  the  bat 
tle  i —  I  find  the  following:  Col.  Wood,  although  commanding  a 
brigade,  it  is  reported  that  he  really  was  the  leader  in  the  move 
ment  of  the  entire  division  in  the  advance  and  charge  on  the 
enemy  at  the  battle. 

W.  S.  CHAPIN, 

Late  Capt.  Co.  C. 


47 

STATEMENT  OF  SERGEANT  J.  B.  BENEDICT  OF  Co.  G. 
Lt.-Col.  Faulkner  detailed  four  companies  under  Capt.  Chapin, 
to  deploy  as  skirmishers.  Company  G  was  on  the  left,  and  I 
was  left  guide  of  the  company,  and  that  brought  me  on  the  left 
of  the  skirmish  line.  As  soon  as  the  skirmish  line  was  deployed,  we 
advanced,  driving  the  rebel  skirmishers  back  over  the  hill,  and  took 
possession  on  top  of  the  hill  behind  a  highway  fence.  We  first  dis 
covered  the  rebels  advancing  about  one  o'clock,  p.  M.  Sending  word 
back  to  the  regiment,  we  prepared  to  give  them  a  warm  reception. 
As  soon  as  they  were  in  reach  of  our  guns,  we  opened  upon  them, 
and  maintained  a  steady  fire  until  they  were  up  to  the  other  side  of 
the  fence.  At  this  point  one  of  Geary's  Batteries  on  our  right, 
opened  fire  on  the  rebels.  Some  of  their  shot  coming  rather  close 
to  us  for  comfort  (in  fact  one  of  the  men  had  his  gun  knocked  out 
of  his  hands  by  a  missile  from  this  battery)  our  line  of  skirmishers 
was  compelled  to  fall  back  six  or  eight  rods  to  get  out  of  range. 
This  was  done  in  good  order,  maintaining  our  position  and  keep 
ing  up  a  steady  fire,  halting  at  this  point  for  the  line  of  battle  to 
come  up  with  us.  The  rebels  had  taken  advantage  of  the  gap  in 
our  line  of  skirmishers  on  our  left,  and  under  cover  of  some  small 
brush,  was  swinging  around  our  left  flank.  A  volley  from  the  ad 
vancing  brigade  line  checked  them.  When  the  line  of  battle  got 
up  to  us,  we  advanced  in  front  of  the  line  to  the  top  of  the  hill, 
where  the  rebels  were,  when  their  line  commenced  to  break. 
At  this  point  a  rebel  color  bearer  was  shot,  falling  forward  toward 
us,  his  flag  falling  in  the  same  direction.  On  this,  Dennis  Buck 
ley,  of  Company  G,  sprang  forward  a  few  steps,  picked  up  the 
flag,  and  began  stepping  backward,  at  the  same  time  waving  the 
flag  at  the  rebels.  When  within  a  few  steps  of  our  skirmishers,  a 
bullet  from  the  rebels  struck  the  flag-staff,  glanced,  and  struck 
Buckley  in  the  forehead,  killing  him  instantly.  The  captured  flag 
was  seized  by  Lieut.  Smith,  and  retained  by  the  men  of  the  skir 
mish  line,  as  a  part  of  the  spoils  of  battle.  Several  prisoners  were 
taken  by  the  skirmish  line.  I  sent  three  rebel  prisoners  to  the 
rear.  The  old  mill  spoken  of  was  at  the  right  of  Company  G.  It 
was  in  plain  view,  and  I  saw  no  one  inside  of  it  at  any  time.  I 
know  that  Company  G  maintained  their  position  as  skirmishers 
until  the  rebels  were  repulsed  and  retreated.  Then  the  skirmish 
ers  were  ordered  to  join  the  regiment,  and  the  regiment  marched 


48 

to  the  brigade  of  which  it  formed  a  part,  and  was  put  in  the  front 
line  of  that  brigade. 

J.  B.  BENEDICT, 

Late  Scrgt.  Co.  G. 

I  may  add  that  a  year  or  more  after  the  war  closed,  I  received 
from  the  War  Department  a  medal,  to  be  delivered  to  the  mother 
of  Buckley,  as  a  memento  of  the  bravery  of  her  son  at  the  battle 
of  Peach  Tree  Creek,  and  the  capture  by  him  of  the  flag  from  the 
rebels. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  during  Cleveland's  administration, 
an  order  was  made  directing  the  flags  captured  during  the  war  to 
be  returned  to  the  States  from  whose  troops  they  were  captured, 
which  order  created  wide-spread  astonishment  and  indignation 
among  the  surviving  soldiers  of  the  Union  army.  A  list  of  captured 
flags  and  by  whom  captured  was  published  at  that  time,  and  at  the 
head  of  the  list  was  this  flag,  captured  by  Private  BUCKLEY,  of  the 
1 36th  N.  Y.  Regiment,  at  the  battle  of  Peach  Tree  Creek. 


DEDICATION 

OF  THE  MONUMENT  TO  THE  is6TH  REG.,  N.  Y.  VOL. 
INF.,  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


Perhaps  the  most  notable  event  in  the  history  of  the  i36th  Reg., 
N.  Y.  Vol.  since  the  war,  was  the  dedication,  on  Tuesday,  the  i6th 
of  October,  1888,  of  a  beautiful  and  appropriate  monument  upon 
the  world-renowned  battle-field  of  Gettysburg.  The  State  of  New 
York  has  generously  appropriated  the  sum  of  $1,500  to  each  regi 
ment  and  battery  of  State  troops  that  participated  in  the  battle, 
for  the  purpose  of  erecting  a  monument  at  Gettysburg,  marking 
the  regiment's  position  on  the  field  and  commemorating  its  par 
ticipation  in  the  great  three-days'  contest  that  witnessed  the  turn 
ing  point  in  the  fortunes  of  the  rebellion.  The  labor  of  cutting 
and  lettering  is  all  done  by  competent  workmen  under  the  direc 
tion  of  a  commission  of  officers  of  the  Union  army  appointed  by  the 
Legislature,  the  survivors  of  the  regiment  dictating  the  design  of 
the  monument  and  designating  the  place  for  its  erection.  On  the 
evening  of  the  i5th,  officers  and  members  of  the  regiment  to  the 
number  of  about  sixty,  came  together  at  Elmira,  and  accompanied 
by  the  Peoria  brass  band  of  sixteen  pieces,  proceeded  on  the  night 
train  to  Gettysburg,  reaching  the  village  at  about  ten  o'clock  on 
the  morning  of  the  i6th. 

Forming  in  procession  at  the  depot,  the  veterans  marched  through 
the  town  and  out  on  the  Taneytown  road  about  one  mile  south  of 
the  village,  where  the  monument  stands,  just  over  the  stone  wall 
at  the  right  of  the  road,  where  the  regiment  was  stationed  during 
the  three  days  of  the  battle.  To  the  left  of  the  road  is  the  Na 
tional  Cemetery,  high  and  commanding  ground,  and  occupied  by 
several  Union  batteries  during  the  fight.  Comrade  C.  H.  Miner, 
president  of  the  association,  called  the  veterans  to  order,  and  the 
monument  was  unveiled  by  General  Wood,  colonel  of  the  regiment 
at  the  time  of  the  battle.  After  an  impressive  prayer  by  a  resident 


50 

clergyman.  Rev.  J.  K.  Denman,  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  Church 
in  Gettysburg,  General  Wood  gave  a  graphic  and  thrilling  history 
of  the  regiment,  recounting  its  many  achievements  during  its  two 
and  a  half  years  of  active  and  honorable  service,  dwelling  with 
just  pride  and  satisfaction  upon  a  career  of  untarnished  bearing 
and  energetic  service,  with  a  record  for  gallantry,  courage  and  in 
trepidity  which  could  successfully  challenge  that  of  any  other 
regiment  in  the  army.  At  the  close  of  his  address,  General  Wood 
transferred  the  monument  to  the  regimental  association,  and  Presi 
dent  Miner,  in  an  eloquent  and  feeling  response,  accepted  the 
same.  The  address  of  I.  Sam.  Johnson,  which  followed,  was  a 
glowing  tribute  of  praise,  both  to  the  living  and  the  dead  of  the 
regiment,  a  portion  of  the  survivors  of  which  were  gathered  there 
to  commemorate  the  most  notable  event  in  its  history. 

It  was  truly  an  impressive  scene,  and  many  eyes  were  dim  with 
tears  as  they  listened  to  their  former  commander;  and  their  mem 
ories  went  back  to  the  thrilling  scenes  of  those  July  days,  twenty- 
five  years  ago,  when  the  hallowed  ground  whereon  they  stood 
received  its  baptism  of  patriotic  blood.  The  exercises  were 
concluded  by  the  singing  of  a  patriotic  hymn,  a  dirge  by  the  band 
and  the  benediction ;  after  which  the  group  of  survivors  and  the 
monument  were  photographed,  and  then  the  procession  re-formed 
and  marched  back  to  head-quarters  at  the  Eagle  hotel. 

After  dinner  the  company  took  carriages  and  were  driven  over 
the  second  and  third  day's  line  of  battle,  extending  from  Gulp's 
Hill  on  the  right,  to  Little  Round  Top  on  the  left,  a  distance  of 
about  four  miles.  The  rebel  line  of  battle,  outside  and  facing  the 
Union  line,  was  over  six  miles  in  length.  Colonel  Long,  a  mem 
ber  of  the  Gettysburg  Memorial  Association,  accompanied  the 
party,  and  gave  a  graphic  and  detailed  account  of  the  second  and 
third  day's  fighting  as  it  occurred  at  different  points  of  the  field. 
The  struggle  at  Gulp's  Hill  on  the  right,  the  charge  of  the  Louis 
iana  Tigers  upon  Cemetery  Hill,  the  gallant  fighting  of  Sickles' 
Corps  in  advance  of  the  Union  line  on  the  second  day,  the  des 
perate  struggle  of  the  enemy  to  gain  possession  of  Little  Round 
Top,  and  lastly,  the  repulse  of  Pickett's  terrible  charge  upon  the 
center  of  the  Union  lines,  were  described  from  positions  where 
the  fighting  actually  occurred;  and  it  was  intensely  interesting  to 
those  who  participated  in  the  battle,  while  to  those  who  had  never 
visited  Gettysburg  battle-field  before,  it  was  almost  a  revelation. 


In  the  evening  the  business  meeting  of  the  regiment  was  held 
in  the  village  hall.  Capt.  Kidder  M.  Scott,  of  Geneseo,  was 
elected  president  and  Maj.  J.  J.  Bailey,  of  Dansville,  re-elected 
secretary  and  treasurer,  and  the  next  meeting  of  the  association 
was  appointed  at  Geneseo,  on  the  26.  of  September  next.  Capt. 
Kidder  M.  Scott  and  Gen.  L.  B.  Faulkner,  of  Dansville,  made 
eloquent  and  patriotic  speeches,  which  were  well  received  and 
generously  applauded.  The  latter's  characterization  of  the  order 
directing  the  return  of  the  rebel  flags  was  greeted  with  a  storm 
of  applause.  Short  speeches  were  made  by  Gen.  Wood,  I.  Sam. 
Johnson,  J.  S.  Galantine  and  others,  and  the  meeting  adjourned  ; 
every  one  concurring  in  the  opinion  that  it  had  been  a  glorious 
re-union. 

The  next  morning  the  company  took  carriages  again  and  vis 
ited  the  first  day's  battle-field,  on  Seminary  Ridge,  to  the  west  and 
north  of  the  village.  Here  occurred  the  death  of  General  Reynolds, 
commander  of  the  ist  Corps  ;  a  massive  granite  monument  mark 
ing  the  place  where  he  fell.  In  this  part  of  the  field  is  also 
placed  the  monument  of  the  io4th  Regiment,  N.  Y.  Vol.,  or  Wads- 
worth  Guards,  indicating  the  position  of  that  regiment  in  the 
first  day's  fight. 

Returning  to  the  village,  the  remainder  of  the  day  was  given  up 
to  individual  research  after  relics,  old  landmarks,  picket  lines  and 
comrades'  graves.  It  was  a  re-union  of  the  living  and  the  dead. 

The  battle-field  of  Gettysburg  is  destined  to  become  a  National 
Mecca.  In  a  few  years  hundreds  of  monuments  will  attest  the 
sacredness  of  the  place,  and  the  "  wondrous  story  "  will  be  written 
in  granite  and  marble  and  bronze;  and  many  succeeding  genera 
tions  of  freemen  will  here  find  renewed  inspiration  of  patriotism 
and  loyalty;  and  pledges  and  vows  will  here  be  made  to  preserve 
and  perpetuate  the  Union  whose  broken  columns  were  here  re 
stored  and  consecrated  by  the  blood  of  the  patriotic  ancestry. 


ADDRESS  BY  GEN.   JAMES  WOOD. 

COMRADES  :  Let  us  rejoice  that  we  see  this  day.  Let  us  thank 
Almighty  God,  our  Heavenly  Father,  that  under  this  protecting 
aegis  we  passed  safely  through  the  fatigues  and  dangers  of  a  de 
structive  war;  that  He  has  preserved  our  lives  through  the  years 
that  have  followed  and  shielded  us  from  "  the  pestilence  that 
walketh  in  darkness  and  the  destruction  that  wasteth  at  noon 
day  ;  "  that  we  are  permitted  to  assemble  on  this  battle-field, 
where  was  fought  a  terrific  and  sanguinary  battle,  the  fame  of 
which  has  extended  throughout  the  world  —  a  battle  which  ex 
erted  a  momentous  influence  on  the  destiny  of  this  nation  —  to 
dedicate  this  appropriate  monument  to  the  memory  of  the  living 
and  the  dead  of  our  own  i36th  N.  Y.  Regiment,  a  regiment  which 
took  an  active  and  honorable  part  in  this  battle.  Our  thanks  and 
gratitude  are  due,  and  are  here  fitly  acknowledged  to  the  State  of 
which  we  have  the  honor  to  be  citizens,  proudly  designated  the 
Empire  State  in  this  great  and  glorious  Union,  for  providing 
means  for  the  erection  of  this  monument,  on  the  ground  held  and 
defended  by  the  regiment  through  the  battle  in  which  it  fought 
and  bled;  to  keep  in  lasting  remembrance  the  valiant  and  meri 
torious  services  here  rendered  ;  to  the  Legislature,  through  whose 
instrumentality  the  necessary  money  was  raised  and  appropriated; 
and  to  the  patriotic  men  who  proposed,  and  by  their  influence  and 
exertions,  induced  the  Legislature  to  take  favorable  action  to  ef 
fectuate  the  purpose  advocated  by  them  ;  and  to  the  commissioners 
appointed  by  the  Legislature  from  among  those  who  had  held  high 
office  in  the  volunteer  army  of  the  United  States,  from  our  own 
State,  to  carry  out  the  legislative  purpose,  for  the  skill,  ability 
and  zeal  which  they  have  voluntarily  devoted  to  the  purpose  for 
which  they  were  appointed,  and  to  whose  active  exertions  we  are 
largely  indebted  for  the  appropriate  and  artistic  monument  which 
we  now  dedicate. 

This  monument  does  not  alone  represent  the  magnanimity 
which  the  State  of  New  York  has  exhibited  to  keep  in  lasting  re 
membrance  her  sons,  the  honored  dead,  who  fell  on  the  battle-field 
of  Gettysburg.  The  records  of  her  Legislature  show  that  it  ap 
propriated  $20,000  to  the  "Gettysburg  Memorial  Association,"  to 
secure  the  ground  on  which  the  battle  was  fought,  to  mark  out  the 


53 

positions  held  by  the  different  commands  which  composed  the 
Union  Army,  to  preserve  the  lines  and  lineaments  of  the  battle 
field,  and  to  protect  the  monuments  to  be  erected  thereon;  and 
$1,500  for  a  monument  to  each  separate  command  engaged  in  the 
battle.  Let  us  not  forget  that  the  patriotism  of  the  State  is  not 
represented  by  money  only.  She  furnished  for  the  armies  of  the 
United  States  to  repress  the  rebellion  and  uphold  the  government 
four  hundred  and  forty-eight  thousand  eight  hundred  and  fifty 
men,  of  whom  there  were  engaged  in  this  battle  ninety-two  sepa 
rate  commands.  She  furnished  more  men  for  the  army,  appro 
priated  more  money  to  hand  down  to  posterity  the  memory  of  this 
battle  and  erected  more  monuments  on  the  battle-field  than  any 
other  State  in  the  Union. 

It  is  a  high  honor  to  have  been  among  those  who  were  engaged 
in  this  battle.  It  is  a  source  of  self-gratulation  that  we  are  the 
survivors  of  those  who  fought  and  died  here,  and  of  profound  grati 
fication  that  this  monument  will  preserve  and  hand  down  to'  pos 
terity  the  name  of  this  regiment  and  the  part  which  it  bore  in  this 
battle;  and  it  is  a  cheering  and  inspiriting  thought  that  when  our 
mortal  lives  shall  be  ended  and  we  shall  join  our  comrades  who 
died  here,  this  monument  will  hand  down  to  future  ages  the  name, 
history  and  services  of  our  regiment;  and  when  the  inscriptions 
on  this  monument  are  read,  the  patriotism,  courage,  suffering  and 
sacrifices  which  helped  to  secure  the  victory  that  crowned  this 
battle. 

In  this  battle,  of  the  troops  from  our  State,  77  officers  and 
888  enlisted  men  were  killed;  288  officers  and  3,737  enlisted  men 
were  wounded;  and  69  officers  and  1,708  enlisted  men  cap 
tured  or  missing.  There  is  abundant  reason  therefore  why 
we  should  be  proud  of  our  comrades,  living  and  dead,  who 
participated  in  this  battle,  proud  of  our  State  for  the  liberality 
and  munificence  which  she  has  manifested  toward  them.  This, 
the  Empire  State,  is  great  in  population,  great  in  wealth,  great  in 
material  resources,  great  in  enlightenment;  but  greater  in  the  men 
and  money  which  she 'furnished  to  put  down  the  rebellion  and  up 
hold  the  government,  and  in  the  generous  and  bounteous  hand 
with  which  she  has  provided  for  the  comfort  of  the  survivors,  and 
to  perpetuate  the  memory  of  those  who  died. 

We  are  reminded  by  this  beautiful  and  magnificent  National 
Cemetery,  with  its  inspiring  monuments,  erected  on  the  very 


54 

ground  occupied  by  us,  and  in  which,  after  the  battle,  we  buried 
our  dead,  of  the  paternal  care  of  the  United  States  government, 
for  those  who  died  in  its  defense.  Not  only  in  this  particular  is 
this  paternal  regard  manifested,  but  in  the  pensions  that  have 
been  granted  to  those  who  suffer  from  wounds  or  from  disease 
contracted  in  its  military  service,  and  to  the  widows  and  families 
of  the  dead,  for  the  loss  of  those  on  whom  they  relied  for  support. 
More  than  this.  The  surviving  soldiers,  under  the  rules  and  regu 
lations  of  the  government,  are  a  favored  class,  and  first  to  be  re 
membered  in  the  dispensation  of  the  honors  and  official  emolu 
ments  it  has  to  bestow. 

What  prouder  title  can  one  have  to  hand  down  to  his  children 
and  those  who  come  after  him,  than  that  he  was  a  soldier  in  the 
gigantic  war  of  the  rebellion  ;  of  whom  it  is  recorded  that,  when 
secession  lifted  its  hydra  head  and  rebellion  threatened  the  integ 
rity  of  the  government  and  the  perpetuity  of  the  Union,  he  sprang 
to  arms  and  voluntarily  enrolled  himself  in  the  army  raised  for  its 
defense,  and  boldly  marched  to  the  front  to  encounter  danger  and 
death.  Do  not  your  hearts,  comrades,  swell  within  you  with 
thankfulness,  when  you  reflect  that  you  were  such  soldiers,  that 
you  belonged  to  the  army  that  maintained  the  government  and 
saved  the  Union;  and  that  it  was  your  privilege  and  good  fortune 
to  take  part  in  the  battle  which  we  now  commemorate ;  and  do 
you  not  feel  a  sense  of  superiority  over  those  who,  from  inability 
or  want  of  courage,  or  lack  of  patriotism,  you  left  behind  you  ? 
When  this  generation  shall  have  passed  away,  and  other  genera 
tions  shall  occupy  their  places  and  visit  this  battle-field,  what 
more  eloquent  eulogy,  what  more  fitting  epitaph,  can  they  have, 
who  sleep  the  last  sleep  beneath  the  green  sod  that  lies  above 
them  in  yon  cemetery,  than  is  there  inscribed  in  imperishable  let 
ters  :  "  These  are  the  soldiers  of  the  Union  army,  who  fought  and 
fell  on  the  bloody  but  victorious  battle-field  of  Gettysburg?" 
And  we,  who  survive  this  battle  and  the  fatigues  and  dangers  of 
the  campaigns  that  followed,  do  we  not  experience  a  feeling  of 
exultation  and  solemn  joy,  when  we  reflect  that  we  will  be  re 
membered  when  we  are  gone;  that  on  our  tombstones  will  be  in 
scribed:  "Here  lies  one  who  was  a  soldier  in  the  i36th  Regi 
ment  ;  "  and  that  our  comrades,  while  living,  and  their  descendants 
after  them  when  they  are  gone,  will  annually  chant  requiems  to 
our  memory  and  strew  flowers  over  our  graves?  Let  us  rejoice, 


55 

therefore,  that  we  are  here.  Let  us  be  glad  that  it  is  permitted  us 
to  take  part  in  this  dedication.  Let  us  remember  with  reverential 
thoughts  the  dead  who  died  here,  and  let  us  return  to  our  homes 
with  feelings  subdued  and  chastened  by  the  solemnity  of  the  occa 
sion,  with  renewed  determination  to  discharge  the  obligations 
which  rest  on  us  as  citizens  of  this  great  Union  which  we  helped 
to  preserve  and,  to  the  best  of  our  ability  and  influences,  strive  to 
make  it  now,  and  for  all  time,  "  the  land  of  the  free  and  the  home 
of  the  brave." 

What  vivid  recollections  rush  upon  and  fill  our  memories  as  we 
stand  on    this  consecrated   ground.      The   long  and   weary  march 
from  Stafford   Court- House,  in   the  State  of  Virginia,  which  pre 
ceded  the  battle ;  the   bivouac  at   Emmettsburg  ;  the  announce 
ment  from  army  head-quarters  that  we  were  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
rebel  army,  and  that  a  great   battle  was  impending;  the  fatiguing 
march  on  the  hot,  dusty,  ist  day  of  July,  to  the  battle-field;  the 
booming   of  cannon,  toward   the  sound  of  which  we  marched,  in 
dicating  that   the  battle  was   already  opened ;  the  announcement, 
which  met   us  on  our  march,  that   the   ist   Corps   was   in  conflict 
with    the  enemy,  and  that  Gen.   Reynolds   had   been  killed;  the 
order  to  hurry  forward  to   reinforce   the  ist  Corps,  then  contend 
ing  with  overwhelming  numbers  ;    our  arrival  and   taking  position 
on  the  ground  where  this  cemetery  now  is,  covered  by  the  graves 
of  those  who  fell  in  the  battle  which  followed;  the  full  view  of  the 
conflict  on  yonder  hills  beyond  Gettysburg;  the  rattle  of  musketry 
and   the   rapid  discharge  of  artillery;  the  repulse  and  rout  of   the 
ist  and  3d  Divisions  of  the  nth  Corps;  the  retreat  of  the  ist  Corps, 
badly    damaged    and    weakened,  within    our    lines    on    Cemetery 
Ridge;  the  halting  of  the  victorious  enemy  in  Gettysburg  village; 
the  deploy   of  the   2d   Division  of  the  nth   Corps   in   column  by 
company,  on   Cemetery   Hill,  with   Buford's  Cavalry   deployed  in 
front,  successfully  deceiving  the  enemy  as   to   the   strength  of  our 
forces;  the  presence  on  the  ground  of  Gen.  Hancock,  who  led  us 
to  anticipate  an  attack,  by  inquiring  if  this  regiment  was  reliable; 
the  arrival  on  the  Emmettsburg  Road  of  Gen.  Sickles,  with  the  ad 
vanced  guard  of  the  3d  Corps  ;  the  arrival  of  Gen.  Meade  on  the 
field;  the  cessation  of  the  battle  at  about   five   o'clock,  p.  M.;  the 
anxiety  that  was  felt,  and  the  urgency  that  was   apparent   for  the 
concentration  of  the  whole  army.      The  second  day  opens  bright 
and  fair.     There  is  a  lull  along  the  opposing  lines.     All  is  anxious 


56 

expectation.  The  rattle  of  musketry  and  the  rapid  discharge  of 
cannon  tell  us  that  the  battle  is  raging  on  our  left.  The  "  Peach 
Orchard,"  the  "Wheat  Field  "  and  "Little  Round  Top"  are  the 
scenes  of  the  conflict.  The  attack  upon  our  right,  weakened  by 
taking  troops  to  reinforce  the  left;  the  success  of  the  enemy  in 
getting  possession  of  our  intrenchments  on  Gulp's  Hill;  and  the 
attack  in  the  evening  on  the  nth  Corps  so  gallantly  repulsed. 
Night  closed  the  conflict.  The  rebel  attack  is  everywhere  repulsed, 
our  lines  preserved,  and  Little  Round  Top  saved.  The  enemy 
retires  to  his  camp,  discomfited  and  disheartened ;  and  shouts  of 
victory  run  along  our  lines.  Thus  ended  the  second  day. 

On  the  morning  of  the  third  day,  the  fight  commences  on  our 
right.  Word  is  brought  into  our  lines  from  Gen.  Ewell,  that  he 
will  break  our  lines  on  our  right,  or  perish  in  the  attempt.  His 
threat  was  an  idle  one.  He  makes  the  attempt.  He  is  repulsed, 
driven  out  of  the  intrenchments  he  had  taken  the  night  before. 
Our  lines  are  intact  from  right  to  left.  All  now  understand  that 
Lee  will  attack  us,  and  make  his  most  powerful  effort  to  break  our 
lines  on  Cemetery  Ridge,  and  drive  us  from  our  position.  Each 
side  prepared  for  the  conflict.  All  along  Seminary  Ridge  are  seen 
the  enemy's  batteries  deployed.  Opposing  him,  our  artillery  is  in 
position  along  Cemetery  Ridge.  At  one  o'clock,  the  discharge  of 
a  cannon  near  Gettysburg,  gives  the  signal,  and  the  enemy's 
artillery  opened  all  along  their  line.  Our  artillery  replies.  A 
most  terrific  cannonade,  the  recollection  of  which  is  burned  in  our 
memories,  continues  for  two  hours.  Deadly  missiles  fill  the  air, 
and  shells  burst  all  around  us.  The  fire  of  the  enemy  is  concen 
trated  on  Cemetery  Hill.  Suddenly  the  firing  on  our  side  ceases, 
not  because  it  was  silenced,  but  by  order.  Lee's  attacking  col 
umns  then  emerge  from  yon  woods  on  Seminary  Ridge.  Gallantly 
they  marched  to  the  assault.  Onward  in  battle  array  they  come. 
Their  ranks  are  riddled  by  grape  shot  and  shells  from  our  artillery 
which  reopened,  and  bullets  from  the  muskets  of  our  infantry. 
The  scene  is  awfully  grand,  magnificently  sublime.  The  rebels 
fall,  as  autumnal  leaves  fall  from  a  forest  tree,  and  cover  the 
ground.  In  our  mind's  eye  we  see  it  now,  as  we  saw  it  then. 
Memory  vividly  recalls  it.  I  will  not  attempt  to  describe  it.  It  is 
indelibly  impressed  on  our  minds.  No  one  but  those  who  par 
ticipated  in  it,  can  appreciate  this  grand,  awful  and  sublime 
scene.  The  final  assault,  the  supreme  effort  of  Lee's  army  was 


57 

made  and  repulsed.  The  battle  of  Gettysburg  was  fought  and 
won.  But,  at  what  a  sacrifice  !  Of  the  Union  army,  547  officers 
and  2,816  men  were  killed,  1,137  officers  and  13,43°  men  wounded, 
and  182  officers  and  5,253  men  captured,  mostly  on  the  second 
day.  making  the  total  casualties  22,960.  The  confederate  casual 
ties,  as  near  as  can  be  ascertained,  were  2,592  killed,  12,706 
wounded  and  5,150  captured;  total,  20.448.  This,  probably,  does 
not  cover  the  enemy's  losses.  From  many  of  his  commands,  engaged 
in  the  battle,  no  report  of  casualties  has  been  obtained.  It  is  sup 
posed  that  his  losses  were  much  greater.  The  records  of  the 
prisoners  of  war,  on  file  in  Washington,  bear  the  names  of  12,227 
confederate  prisoners  captured  at  and  around  Gettysburg,  from 
July  i  to  5,  inclusive. 

The  battle  of  Gettysburg  was  the  culminating  point  of  the 
Southern  rebellion.  The  Confederate  States  never  recovered  from 
the  shock  of  this  defeat.  The  secession  serpent  was  scorched, 
not  killed.  He  still  raised  his  crest  and  stood  at  bay,  and,  for 
two  years  more,  resisted  the  attacks  of  the  Union  army.  But  he 
was  now  put  on  the  defensive,  and  gallantly  resisted,  until  worn 
out  and  exhausted. 

This  monument  records  the  fact  that  the  136111  Regiment,  in 
October  following  this  battle,  was  transferred  to  the  army  of  the 
Cumberland,  then  operating  against  Bragg's  army  at  Chattanooga, 
in  Tennessee. 

Vividly  memory  calls  up,  and  reproduces  the  marches  we  made, 
and  the  battles  we  fought,  in  that  southern  campaign.  The  march 
down  Lookout  Valley;  the  night  fight  opposite  Chattanooga;  the 
successful  assault  upon  the  enemy  posted  on  Smith's  Hill;  the 
battle  above  the  clouds  upon  Lookout  Mountain;  the  attack  and 
defeat  of  the  enemy  on  Missionary  Ridge;  the  march  to  Knox- 
ville  and  back;  the  Atlanta  campaign;  the  bloody  assault  deliv 
ered  at  Resaca;  the  battles  and  conflicts  at  Dallas,  Gulp's  Farm, 
Gilgal  Church,  Kenesaw  Mountain;  the  assault  by,  and  defeat  of, 
Hood's  army  at  Peach  Tree  Creek;  the  affair  at  Turner's  Ferry; 
the  capture  of  Atlanta;  the  march  to  the  sea  ;  the  capture  of  Sa 
vannah  ;  the  march  through  South  and  North  Carolina ;  and  the  bat 
tle  of  Bentonville,  the  last  battle  of  the  war  in  which  this  regiment 
took  part ;  the  surrender  of  the  armies  under  Lee  and  Johnson  ;  the 
final  suppression  of  the  rebellion,  and  the  march  through  Virginia 


58 

to  Washington.  Thus  terminated  the  military  career  of  the 
Regiment.  Then  the  regiment  was  mustered  out,  with  a  reputation 
for  good  conduct,  sound  discipline  and  unflinching  bravery  second 
to  none  in  the  army.  The  survivors  went  to  their  respective 
homes,  and  mingled  with  their  families  and  friends  in  civil  life, 
from  whom  they  had  been  separated.  It  was  the  good  fortune 
of  this  regiment  never  to  have  met  with  a  repulse.  Although  in 
many  battles,  it  took  no  steps  backward.  During  its  services  it 
never  had  what  is  known  in  army  circles  as  a  soft  place,  where 
the  men  could  wear  white  gloves  and  paper  collars.  It  was  always 
found  in  the  front,  where  the  two  armies  impigned,  where  the 
fighting  was  hottest  and  the  danger  deadliest.  The  blood  of  its 
fallen  heroes  is  mingled  with  the  soil  of  every  State,  from  Mary 
land  to  Mississippi.  The  National  cemeteries  contain  but  few  of 
the  bodies  of  the  dead  of  our  regiment.  Loving  hands  have  re 
moved  them  from  the  field  where  they  fell,  and  from  the  hospitals 
where  they  died,  to  local  cemeteries  and  grave-yards,  where  their 
families  resided,  and  where  their  relatives  are  buried.  Wherever 
they  lie,  they  are  not  forgotten. 

"  On  fame's  eternal  camping  ground, 

Their  silent  tents  are  spead, 
And  glory  guards  with  solemn  round, 

The  bivouac  of  the  dead." 

Though  the  rebellion  was  conquered;  though  the  result  of  the 
war  redounded  to  the  glory  of  the  Union  arms;  though  the 
doctrine  of  secession  has,  by  the  high  and  convincing  argument 
of  arms,  been  suppressed  and  condemned;  though  we  devoted 
our  aid  and  our  ser/vices  to  'preserve  the  Union,  to  conquer  the 
armed  force  that  endeavored  to  .subvert  it;  though  "  grim-visaged 
war  has  smoothed  his  wrinkled  front;"  though  the  flag  of  the 
Union  floats  peacefully  over  every  foot  of  territory  within  the 
bounds  of  the  United  States;  though  through  the  length  and 
breadth  of  our  land  prosperity  seems  to  abound,  and  though  life 
and  liberty  to  all  seem  to  be  secure,  yet  our  duties  as  citizens  and 
soldiers  did  not  end  with  the  war,  and  have  not  ended,  after  the 
lapse  of  twenty-five  years,  "  in  these  piping  times  of  peace."  The 
stability  of  the  government  rests  upon  the  intelligence,  honesty 
and  patriotism  of  the  people,  of  which  the  volunteer  soldiers  form 
so  large  and  influential  a  part.  It  is  for  us  so  to  discharge  the  re- 


59 

sponsible  duties  of  citizens,  as  to  preserve  the  peace;  to  cultivate 
fraternal  feelings  of  good  neighborhood  and  friendship,  with  all 
the  people  in  all  the  States.  Those  who  wore  the  confederate 
gray,  are  no  longer  our  enemies,  but  fellow-citizens,  entitled  to 
kind  and  fraternal  feelings.  The  passions  and  enmities  created  and 
fostered  by  the  war,  should  be  forgotten  and  buried  out  of  sight, 
so  that  whenever  our  southern  brethren  shall  come  to  this  battle 
field,  and  view  this  cemetery  of  the  dead,  and  these  monuments 
erected  thereon,  it  will  be  with  no  feelings  of  mortified  pride,  or 
the  resentful  sentiments  of  a  conquered  people  ;  but  of  lofty 
patriotism,  rather,  as  they  reflect  upon  the  heroism  displayed  and 
bravery  evinced,  by  two  highly  organized  and  brave  armies,  com 
posed  of  soldiers  enrolled  from  a  people  of  the  same  lineage,  and 
same  nation  ;  that  the  conflict  of  these  armies  did  not  grow  out  of 
any  hostility  or  enmity  of  the  north  against  the  south,  but  was  the 
mighty  effort  of  our  common  government  to  hold  all  the  States  of 
the  Union  within  its  jurisdiction,  and  to  prevent  its  disruption  ; 
and  to  compel  those  who  attempted  to  overturn  it,  to  come  home, 
as  it  were,  to  their  father's  house  and  partake  of  the  benefits  of  one 
common  government,  organized  and  administered  by  a  united 
people.  To  foster  this  feeling,  to  prevent  enmities  and  hostile 
rivalries  between  the  different  sections  of  our  now  united  country, 
is  a  duty  that  belongs  especially  to  the  survivors  of  the  armies  of 
the  Union  that  conquered  the  rebellion.  While  they,  here  and 
elsewhere,  dedicate  monuments  to  the  memory  of  their  dead  com 
rades,  they  should  not  forget  that  they  should  consecrate  them 
selves  to  the  sacred  duty  of  fostering  the  preservation  .of  peace, 
friendship  and  good  feeling,  with  those  whom  they  once  regarded 
as  rebels  and  enemies,  with  whom  they  once  had  heroic  combats 
in  the  deadly  conflict  of  arms.  The  thoughts  so  forcibly  and 
eloquently  expressed  by  our  martyred  president;  on  these  very 
grounds,  in  dedicating  this  cemetery  to  those  who  fell  on  this 
battle-field,  speak  in  as  impressive  and  admonitory  tones  now,  to 
those  who  survive  the  war,  as  they  did,  to  those  to  whom  they 
were  addressed,  while  rebellion  was  still  rampant. 

"Fourscore  and  seven  years  ago,  our  fathers  brought  forth  upon 
this  continent  a  new  nation,  conceived  in  liberty  and  dedicated  to 
the  proposition  that  all  men  are  created  equal.  Now  we  are  en 
gaged  in  a  great  civil  war,  testing  whether  that  nation,  or  any 
other  nation,  so  conceived,  and  so  dedicated,  can  long  endure. 


6o 

We  are  met  on  a  great  battle-field  of  that  war.  We  have  come  to 
dedicate  a  portion  of  that  field  as  a  final  resting  place  for  those 
who  here  gave  their  lives  that  the  nation  might  live.  It  is 
altogether  fitting  and  proper  that  we  should  do  this.  But,  in  a  larger 
sense,  we  cannot  dedicate  ;  we  cannot  consecrate ;  we  cannot 
hallow  this  ground.  The  brave  men,  living  and  dead,  who  struggled 
here,  have  consecrated  it  far  above  our  power  to  add  or  detract. 
The  world  will  little  note,  nor  long  remember,  what  we  say  here, 
but  it  can  never  forget  what  they  did  here,  It  is  for  us,  the  living, 
rather,  to  be  dedicated  here  to  the  unfinished  work,  which  they 
who  fought  here,  have  thus  far  so  nobly  advanced.  It  is  rather 
for  us  to  be  here  dedicated  to  the  great  task  remaining  before  us, 
that,  from  these  honored  dead,  we  take  increased  devotion  to  that 
cause  for  which  they  gave  the  last  full  measure  of  devotion  ;  that 
we  here  highly  resolve  that  these  dead  shall  not  have  died  in  vain  ; 
that  this  nation  under  God,  shall  have  a  new  birth  of  freedom  ; 
and  that  government  of  the  people,  by  the  people  and  for  the 
people,  shall  not  perish  from  the  earth." 

While  we,  as  survivors  of  the  war,  should  be  advocates  of  peace, 
fraternal  feeling  and  good  will  among  all  the  States,  we  should 
not  forget  the  principles  upon  which  the  war  was  conducted,  and 
in  the  prosecution  of  which  the  people  of  the  north  poured  out 
their  blood  and  treasure  with  an  unstinted  hand.  The  Southern 
States  were  slave  States,  and  had  been  such  from  the  foundation 
of  the  government.  To  protect  this  institution  from  the  anti- 
slavery  sentiment  of  the  people  of  the  Northern  States,  and  their 
right  to  extend  it  into  free  territory,  the  Southern  States  seceded 
from  the  Union,  and  submitted  the  question  of  freedom  or  slavery 
to  the  arbitrament  of  arms.  They  were  beaten  in  the  contest. 
The  result  of  the  war  abolished  slavery.  The  Constitution  of  the 
United  States  now  provides  "  that  neither  slavery  nor  involuntary 
servitude,  except  for  crime,  whereof  the  party  shall  be  duly  con 
victed,  shall  exist  within  the  United  States  or  in  any  place  subject 
to  their  jurisdiction."  Freedom  prevails  throughout  the  land. 
The  sentiment  contained  in  the  Declaration  of  Independence, 
that  "  all  men  are  created  equal,  that  they  are  endowed  by  their 
creator  with  certain  unalienable  rights,  among  which  are  life,  liberty 
and  the  pursuit  of  happiness;"  which  before  the  war  existed  only 
in  theory,  by  the  war  has  become  an  accomplished  fact.  The 
perpetuity  of  a  republican  form  of  government  depends  upon  the 


6i 

enactment  and  strict  enforcement  of  laws  for  the  protection  of  the 
rights  and  liberty  of  each  and  every  citizen  of  the  State  and 
Nation.  This  government  derives  its  just  powers  from  the  consent 
of  the  governed,  and  one  of  the  most  important  rights  that  should 
be  safely  guarded  and  protected  is  the  right  of  each  and  every 
citizen,  on  whom  the  right  of  suffrage  is  conferred,  without  hin 
drance  or  opposition  to  deposit  his  vote  in  the  ballot-box  at  every 
election,  and  freely  to  express  his  choice  in  the  selection  of  the 
officers  of  the  government  and  the  principles  by  which  the  gov 
ernment  should  be  guided  and  controlled.  The  provision  of  the 
Constitution  of  the  United  States,  that  "  the  right  of  citizens  of 
the  United  States  to  vote  shall  not  be  denied  or  abridged  by  the 
United  States,  or  any  State,  on  account  of  race,  color  or  previous 
condition  of  servitude,"  should  be  sedulously  enforced.  Free 
and  fair  elections  and  an  honest  count  are  absolutely  essential  to 
the  perpetuity  of  the  government;  and  when,  by  law  or  by  the 
combinations  of  individuals,  a  class  of  citizens  is  prevented  from 
voting,  by  reason  of  race,  color  or  previous  condition  of  servi 
tude,  or  for  any  reason  or  for  no  reason;  the  very  fundamental  prin 
ciple  of  the  government  is  invaded  and  its  existence  endangered. 
Such  a  wrong  will  prove  a  canker  in  the  body  politic,  which  will 
gradually  eat  into  its  very  vitals  and  produce  dissolution.  If  this 
wrong  is  allowed  to  prevail,  then  "  the  government  of  the  people, 
for  the  people  and  by  the  people  "  will  surely,  SURELY,  "  perish 
from  the  earth." 

We  have  experienced  the  dangers  and  horrors  of  war.  We  have 
seen  the  blood  of  our  comrades  poured  out  like  water,  to  prevent 
the  disruption  of  the  Union  and  to  "  proclaim  liberty  throughout 
the  land,"  Baptized  in  blood,  we  are  clothed  with  the  authority 
and  commissioned  to  be  preachers  and  advocates  of  peace  and 
universal  freedom;  and  while  we  dedicate  this  monument  to  the 
honored  dead  of  our  regiment,  let  us  consecrate  ourselves  to  the 
cause  for  which  they  died.  Let  us  keep  in  view  the  necessity  for 
the  enforcement  of  all  the  laws  and  the  honor  and  prosperity  of 
the  whole  country.  Let  us  endeavor,  by  voice  and  influence,  to 
propagate  the  doctrine  of  loyalty  to  the  union  of  the  States  and 
its  government.  Let  our  principles  and  our  works  be  seen  and 
known  of  all  men.  Let  us  inscribe  on  our  banner  "  The  rights 
guaranteed  by  the  Constitution  must  and  shall  be  protected.""  "  The 
government  must  and  shall  be  maintained."  "  The  Union  must  and 


62 

shall  be  preserved."  So  shall  our  National  standard  remain  un 
tarnished  and  its  galaxy  of  stars  undiminished,  increased  rather, 
as  time  rolls  on.  In  the  language  of  that  eminent  statesman  and 
eloquent  senator,  Daniel  Webster,  "  When  our  eyes  shall  be 
turned  for  the  last  time  to  behold  the  sun  in  the  heavens,  may  we 
not  again  see  him  shining  on  the  broken  and  dishonored  frag 
ments  of  a  once  glorious  Union;  on  States  dissevered,  discord 
ant,  belligerent;  on  a  land  rent  with  civil  commotions  and 
drenched  in  fraternal  blood.  Let  the  last  lingering  glance  ratKer 
behold  the  gorgeous  ensign  of  the  republic,  now  known  and  hon 
ored  throughout  the  world,  still  full  high  advanced,  its  arms  and 
trophies  streaming  in  their  original  lustre,  not  a  stripe  erased  or 
polluted,  not  a  single  star  obscured,  bearing  for  its  motto,  every 
where  spread  all  over  in  characters  of  living  light,  blazing  on  all  its 
ample  folds,  as  they  float  over  the  sea  and  over  the  land,  in  every 
wind  under  the  whole  heavens,  now  so  dear  to  every  American 
heart, '  LIBERTY  AND  UNION,  NOW  AND  FOREVER,  ONE  AND  INSEP 
ARABLE.'  " 


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